


The Queen's Bloodhound

by SooperChicken



Series: Black Butler [4]
Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Angels, Attraction, Chivalry, Curiosity, Demons, Desire, Discovery, F/M, Fallen Angels, Falling In Love, Flirting, Fluff and Smut, Getting to Know Each Other, Jealousy, Kinky, Lemon, Love, Love Confessions, Missions, Obsession, Possessive Behaviour, Romance, Secret Crush, Seduction, Shyness, Supernatural Elements, Sweet, Undercover, Undercover Missions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-08-24 07:57:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 22,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8364166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SooperChicken/pseuds/SooperChicken
Summary: Through no choice of your own you spend your days in service to Her Majesty, Queen Victoria. A couple of key events occurred before your birth to ensure this, but you don't mind it that much. You cannot deny that the work that you do for her is...interesting. It suits your nature, anyway.
See what happens when a new job comes up, one that requires the utmost discretion and the proficiency of someone like you...and find out who you'll meet on your way to fulfilling your objective.





	1. No Rest For the Wicked

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Saffroncremebrulee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saffroncremebrulee/gifts).



> Hello everybody!
> 
> This work is a request from a lovely anon, so I hope it's alright! I'll be working on this one every day until completion, and with luck I'll be able to post a one-shot every day too to go in the One-Shot Collection! I'll then be starting on another request, but please feel free to keep sending them to me! I like being kept busy! :)
> 
> Sorry for the 'work update'! Just wanted to explain the reason behind any delays with current requests! Love you all! <3
> 
> \- SooperChicken

Walking along the cobblestone streets of the city, you looked down at the missive clutched tightly in your gloved hand. It was a cool autumn day, and a few wispy white clouds streaked the cold blue sky. Wet, fallen leaves formed sludgy brown streams running along the sides of the pavements, flowing into the gutters. Here and there, trees lining the street on both sides shivered in the chilly breeze, ready to shed the last of their russet and golden leaves and commit them to the same fate as those on the road. You, on the other hand, had busy times ahead of you. There was no time for idling, or taking in your surroundings.

You pulled your woollen shawl closer to your body and continued on your way into the city centre. The missive that you held in your hand detailed your assignment as well as a list of contacts that you needed to meet with for further information. It was of the utmost importance, firstly, and secondly of unconditional secrecy. You were to inform nobody of your intentions other than the contacts on that list. They already knew that you were coming, anyway.

Looking down at the letter again, you checked again the first name and address written there. When you read the beautiful, sweeping cursive it was confirmed that you did, of course, remember the details with full accuracy. "One hundred and two..." you muttered to yourself, clutching at your clothing for warmth as another icy blast of air hit you. Winter was definitely on its way, you thought. You recited the first house number a few times until it stuck in your head.

When you arrived at the green painted door, you took the brass knocker delicately between your fingers and rapped it twice upon the wood. You waited for a couple of minutes, politely and patiently, and were about to knock again when suddenly the door swung open. There stood a little woman with dark blonde hair and dark blue eyes. She eyed you curiously, before realising the purpose of your visit before you could even tell her.

"Come in," she said quietly, standing to the side of the door so that you could pass.

"Thank you," you said, breezing past her. Your presence meant something to her, and she wanted to impart upon you what little she knew about your target and get you out of her house as quickly as possible. It was a fair thing for her to feel against you; you tended to have that effect on people. Yours could be a foreboding, ominous presence and yet at other times it could be positively saintly, and soothing.

Now was not one of those times, though.

"Right," said the blonde woman, whose name was Harriett Ellison. "I'm only doing this because if I don't then I'll be hanged. I don't want anything to do with this, and if you come sniffing back around here for information you'll find my doors firmly shut. Do we understand each other?"

You smiled slightly, although it was more to yourself out of amusement than towards Harriett out of reassurance. "Perfectly," you purred, standing completely still in her living room.

"Very well then," she replied, but you could tell that she did not quite believe you. She knew that, if you wanted more information from her, you would be back anytime you pleased. As the Queen's Bloodhound, it was your undisputed duty to carry out these missions to the letter, and nothing would stand in your way. It never had. You had a reputation to support, too.

"So what have you got for me?" you said softly, lulling her into a false sense of security. You wanted her to be wary of you, but still relaxed enough to be able to speak freely; to lie to you--especially while on official business--was dangerous, not to mention criminal when you were doing something under direct orders from Her Majesty. You would see right through any lies that she might try to make you swallow, though.

"When last your target was sighted in the city, their sole business here seemed to be at the post office," said Harriett, eyeing you carefully. She did not trust you, but you had been sent by Queen Victoria, so there was nothing she could do about it other than give you what you had come for. Or risk interfering with royal business, as it were. "I would imagine that there would be your next port of call,"

You nodded slowly, keeping your eyes fixed on her. You could sense her growing uneasy under your watchful gaze, and you wondered how long it would be before she started getting jittery. "Thank you very much," you said, ceasing to nod. You reached into the little purse that you carried and took from it one of the little tokens that Queen Victoria had given to you to give to those who were able to help you. These tokens were the only items in your purse, and they had only one purpose. You held out your hand and offered her the little blue jewel. "A token of Her Majesty's esteem," you told her, holding her own gaze now.

"Thank you," she replied, taking it carefully from your hand. You were pleased by this, as you didn't care for snatching. "Why are you giving this to me, though?"

"Her Majesty ordered me to bestow a single token upon each of the contacts on this list, if they are able to offer useful, constructive information," you answered, maintaining your perfectly-still stance as you stood before her. "You may do with it as you see fit,"

Harriett nodded and looked down at the glittering gemstone in her palm. It was very beautiful indeed. "Well...thank you again," she said, now feeling slightly uncomfortable in your presence. "Is that all you'll be needing?"

"Yes," you said simply, moving towards the door. Harriett flinched slightly, having forgotten--due to your stillness until this point--that you could actually move. She didn't know  _why_ you made her feel uncomfortable, but there was something other than the intimidation of having the Queen's most elite lieutenant stood in her living room making her uneasy. "Thank you for your assistance," you said, leaving her with a soft smile but one that implied warning.

You showed yourself out, and made your way towards the post office. It wasn't that far away, so you assumed that it had actually been Harriett herself who saw your target making their way to the building. She could well have seen them from her bedroom window, it was that nearby. You pushed open the door and walked inside, approaching the man behind the counter. You smiled kindly at him--he looked rather young to have been doing this job for long--and asked him what you needed to know.

"Any strange packages recently?" he repeated, gazing at you with big brown eyes. He was rather sweet, and adorable. "Well, Miss, not really but there was this one chap who came in the other day with a rather big parcel that he said needed delivering...Oh, I shouldn't have said that..." he babbled, revealing his clearly talkative nature.

"May I ask why not?" you said, attempting to reassure him. You smiled gently, wanting to calm him down.

"Oh, because Mrs. Kent says that customers' business should always be kept confidential..." he whimpered, knowing he'd done wrong by disclosing a customer's intentions for a delivery. You doubted that the package had much to do with your target in general, but you knew that he was a peculiar man and so asking about out-of-the-ordinary parcels and/or letters was sure to raise the subject of an equally unusual man.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone that you said anything," you said with a bright, beaming smile. "I just wanted to know if you knew what that man's name was, or what he looked like,"

"U-um...I probably shouldn't..." he stammered, not knowing what to do. You felt a little guilty for driving him into a corner like this, but you had to glean this information from him.

"I promise you, my dear, that this will stay between you and I," you murmured, charming him into giving you an answer. He looked at you like a frightened rabbit, but he eventually seemed to relax.

"Does this man owe you something, Miss?" he asked initially, wondering what your motive was for asking about this particular customer.

"Not as such. I just have a very...personal delivery for him, and I cannot send it to him through the post office. I am sure that you can understand this..."

His expression brightened considerably and he nodded vigorously. "Yes, Miss! Alright then, I'm not sure of his name but I do know that he was dressed very richly, all fancy-like...I think he must've been a Lord or someone like that...Oh! And he mentioned another Lord...Phantomhive, I believe he said,"

You smiled again and nodded to him. "Thank you very much, sir," you said, addressing him with respect so that he knew that you appreciated his defiance of his boss. You also wanted him to feel proud of himself for his assistance of you. "As I promised, this will go no further than myself. Please have yourself a nice day," You turned around and walked back out of the post office, leaving the young man in a state of calm over the encounter. He had nothing to fear from you.

"Now," you said to yourself, standing on the pavement outside the post office. "On to the next contact..."

You were going to be very, very busy indeed. You could have sworn an oath that it came with what you were...


	2. The New Recruit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While you have gained very little information about your target since arriving in the city to search for them, what information you have managed to gain is actually rather useful. Now all you have to do is get close to somebody who may know your target personally...
> 
> It is time for you to don the disguise of the humble maid, and step into the world of the Phantomhives.

Sitting on a park bench, you gazed up at the light blue sky and breathed deeply the cold, fresh air. Opposite the park was an office where many people went to inquire about jobs, and to view any new job advertisements that may have been submitted by prospective employers. To your--pleasant--surprise, you had been extremely interested in a job article left with the lady behind the desk by the Phantomhive Estate. It was too good to be true, you thought, but apparently you would have been wrong to think that.

"Oh no, dearie..." said the elderly lady behind the desk. "The fellow who stopped by to hand in the advertisement said that the estate was in need of another maid,"

You had smiled, unable to believe your luck. You had been devising various different plans all day long--since learning from the boy at the post office of your target's connection to Earl Phantomhive--that may have allowed you to gain access to Phantomhive Manor. "And, should a suitable candidate become available, will the Earl or the man who left the advertisement be along afterwards to meet such a person?"

"Yes, I would think so," said the lady, beaming back at you. "You know, I think a lovely, bright lass such as yourself would be ideal for this position...Are you looking for work, dearie?"

Now was your chance. "Yes I am, actually..." you said sweetly. "This does seem like an attractive position..." The more you thought about it, the more you realised that the life of a maid was not a glamorous one. No job in the Victorian Era was truly 'glamorous', but there were many that were better than others. Of course, you wouldn't really know anything of that life; you were the daughter of a nobleman, but your service to Queen Victoria rendered you somewhat aware of what it felt like to work. Albeit in a very privileged environment.

"Excellent! Would you like me to send your details in a letter to the Phantomhive Estate?" she asked, positively brimming with joy at having found a candidate so quickly. The advertisement had not even been in the office a day at this moment.

"Yes please," you said, smiling at her in such a way that suggested that you were eager to win this position.

"Very well then," she said, reaching under the desk for some stationery. "Come back in a couple of days and see if you've got a letter back,"

"Thank you, Ma'am," you said, bowing your head to her out of courtesy. You couldn't believe how easy everything had been so far. Normally by now you would've been in a fight and something would have caught fire.

And so, you found yourself on that park bench, contemplating what to do next. You had exhausted all of your contacts, with some of them providing nothing and others tidbits of usefulness, and you mulled over them until you had finally sorted through them properly in your mind.

Your mind turned to potentially hearing from Earl Phantomhive in the next couple of days, and you wondered what you were going to do until then. Your family home was too far away to visit for such a short amount of time, so you considered returning to Buckingham Palace to report to Her Majesty. The cool wind blew through your (H/C) hair and you could almost feel the onset of rain. It was time to be off.

Soon you would be able to get back into your--more comfortable--everyday wear. It was the same white uniform as that which Charles Grey and Charles Phipps wore, but tailored to suit your womanly proportions. You found it much easier to move around in than the dress that you currently wore.

You stood up from the bench and sighed, breath becoming a mist on the chill late afternoon air. You set off down the path, and to anyone watching you were gone in seconds.

That was simply your way.

-

A couple of days later, you arrived back at the office to see if the lady had any news for you. As soon as you walked through the door, however, you were met with the sight of a tall man dressed almost entirely in black standing before the counter, speaking to the lady. You stood a polite distance behind him, awaiting your turn in the queue. Just then, the woman seemed to notice your arrival, and cried out in glee.

"Oh, sir! This just so happens to be the young lady we were discussing!" she said, chuckling a little as she did so. She obviously loved coincidences too. "What good timing you have, dear..."

You didn't say anything, and looked up at the man as he turned to face you. He was incredibly handsome, with jet black hair and fiery eyes, both set off by his ivory skin. He was beautiful, and you wanted with all your heart to keep looking at him but you averted your gaze, knowing perfectly well that to stare was rude.

"Ah, I see..." said the man, nodding slightly. He, too, was experiencing conflict between his desire to look at you and his better manners. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss. My name is Sebastian Michaelis; I serve as the butler of the Phantomhive Estate. I have been told that you have expressed an interest in joining the household staff,"

You nodded a little and looked up at him again, plastering a blush across your cheeks to appear shy and demure. Of course, you were still interested in joining their ranks purely to gain information about your target, but this man was extremely attractive...The blush, at least, did not feel completely false. "A pleasure to meet you also," you said, only slightly overwhelmed by the man's confidence. But that was alright; you just weren't used to coming across people whose levels of confidence were in any way similar to yours. "I was very excited to see the advertisement that you left here at the office," you went on, doing your utmost to appear genuine. After all, you didn't want him to see right through your disguise.

As you held his gaze, you felt as though you were peering into his mind after a little while. It was then that you were able to ascertain who he truly was. It did not frighten you, though. You weren't much different. You wondered how it would be if he found this out about you, especially if he chose to have you work for the same master as he did.

"That is good to hear," he said at length. "I was originally going to ask Mrs. Fitzroy here to arrange a meeting for us, however your excellent timing has already allowed us this,"

"Ah..." you mumbled, nodding again. "Would you like to have a seat somewhere, and we can have a conversation?" you suggested meekly, taking care not to appear too forward. Sebastian grinned and chuckled.

"Oh no, there is no need, my dear," he said, tilting his head slightly so that his black fringe flopped in front of his eyes. He really was breathtaking; you wouldn't have minded seeing him every day. Not even slightly. You did wonder what he had meant by his reply, though. "I have already decided that you would be perfect for the job,"

"Y-you have? Really, sir?"

He smiled at you, and even though it was soft you could easily detect the fascination behind it. Perhaps, you thought, it was because you had addressed him as 'sir'. "Yes," he said simply. "Your job will involve helping the other servants, especially the other maid, and fulfilling any other duties that may arise in the meantime. You will be informed of these and they will be explained to you in full as soon as you start work. May I ask as to when you will be available to begin?"

You smiled back at him, showing him that you were not actually intimidated by him at all. "As soon as I am needed," you replied, making a point about your reliability. "I would be very happy to take on any tasks that require completion," You thought back to your discussion with Queen Victoria about working for Earl Phantomhive. She had been amused, at first, telling you that the young man was her 'Guard Dog'. You smiled, knowing that you had recognised his name from  _somewhere._ You were in a similar line of work for the Queen, but you were quite certain that the Earl was unaware of your existence. Perhaps he had heard of your family, but again it was unlikely that he knew of you specifically. However, the Queen had fully advocated your application for work at his estate, especially after you had informed her of his possible knowledge of your target's whereabouts.

And now, it seemed, you would be living in the same house as this  _devilishly_ handsome fellow. You were rather pleased with how it was all turning out.

"Excellent," he said, quietly clapping his white gloved hands together. His expression was almost victorious. "Please come to the estate tomorrow. We will help you to settle in and I will give you a tour of the premises, as well as introduce you to the others and explain in better detail your duties,"

 _"My, what a thorough man he is,"_ you thought. He was very impressive. You nodded and replied, "Very well, sir. Thank you very much for this opportunity; I will not disappoint,"

Sebastian suppressed a chuckle.  _"I am certain that you won't,"_ he thought to himself. "I look forward to seeing you tomorrow," he said, graciously accepting your thanks.

"And I you,"

As you parted ways with Sebastian for the day, you smiled and thanked Mrs. Fitzroy for her help before leaving the office yourself. You grinned triumphantly to yourself as you descended the stairs towards the door, thinking to yourself that you were doing a rather good job so far. You could feel your goal getting closer and closer, and you felt as though it would soon be within reach. And what was more, you would be working alongside this rather charming, dashing Sebastian character. You just hoped that your true nature would not be discovered, or at least if it was then you hoped that your discoverer would not blow your cover...That would be costly.

But most amusing to you was your new 'persona'. To appear to be the shy, modest maid--not that you weren't normally modest, but you were considerably more confident than this--may have been misleading to Sebastian, but you didn't know if he had seen through you as you had seen through him.

What you did know, though, was that it was sure to make things much more interesting in the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> Here's another chapter to add to the first! I didn't want to leave it at just that today! :)
> 
> \- SooperChicken


	3. Moonlighting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your arrival at the Phantomhive Estate has sparked some excitement, but you later come to realise that it is simply the thrill of having a newcomer in the house. It has been a great relief, knowing that you can continue with your mission in relative peace...
> 
> How will things start off for you while working as a maid?

Following closely behind Sebastian, you walked through the enormous, pristine halls of Phantomhive Manor. Your eyes consumed the opulent, stately setting, and your thoughts strayed to how much it reminded you of home. You thought about your mother and father, waiting for you at home to finish your posting to Buckingham Palace. Queen Victoria didn't always summon you to her side so you weren't permanently at work, but when she did you were often away for weeks at a time. Your missions would only take as long as was necessary.

You missed them, and loved them dearly, but every time you were called away from them you were reminded of the precise reason why you owed allegiance to the Queen. You shook the thought from your head as Sebastian stopped in front of a polished mahogany door. "I shall now introduce you to our master, Earl Phantomhive. I trust that I do not have to tutor a polite young lady such as yourself in proper etiquette," he said, smiling at you a little. He hadn't dropped the way he spoke to you the first time you met, particularly his charming address. You rather liked it, you found.

"No, sir," you said courteously, bowing your head to him slightly. You wanted him to feel as though you were more than adequate for this job. He had already said that you were just what the household needed, but there was always more time to prove that, and always room for improvement on your disguise.

"Very well, then," he said softly, taking care not to alert the Earl to your presence outside the door. He gently tapped his knuckle on the wood and called out to his master, soon to be yours too. "Young Master," he said gently, speaking through the door. "I have brought the new maid,"

There was no reply, but this was a familiar situation to you. You knew that it was common for the Lord or Lady of the house not to respond to whomever was knocking, but the visitor would simply announce their purpose for being there. Sebastian gently opened the door and walked inside, holding the door open for you as you followed him. You still made sure to appear demure in front of everyone present. Your eyes wandered across the room and finally came to rest on a boy sitting at a great wooden desk near the window. He wore an eye patch, but his visible eye was of brightest cerulean.

_"So this is the famous Earl Phantomhive,"_ you thought, face showing no signs to anyone else to indicate what you had on your mind.  _"He really is young,"_ You glanced over at Sebastian standing off to the side. His hands and arms were rigid at his own sides and he looked straight ahead while maintaining an expression of total serenity. He looked as though nothing in the world could possibly perturb him. You admired him his calmness.

"Hello," said the Earl, standing up. "I am Ciel, Earl Phantomhive. You must be the new maid that Sebastian hired,"

You nodded politely and gave the littlest of curtsies. "It is an honour to meet you, Earl Phantomhive," you said in a small, yet clearly audible, voice.

Ciel looked a little taken aback by your outright courtesy, having half-expected you to be somebody at least a little like the servants he already employed. While he was fond of the others, he considered their manners to be...well. They left a lot to be desired, at times. But you were different. He even noticed your masterful execution of the curtsy that you performed moments earlier, and considered the possibility that this was not the first noble household that you had worked--or been--in.

"Nice to meet you. I am certain that you will do very well here," said the Earl, nodding to you. His expression did not suggest that he was a particularly smiley boy, but you supposed that this just came with the kind of person he was. Besides, you knew what had befallen him in the past. Even if you hadn't heard about it on the grapevine, you would have been able to see it in him. He had witnessed so much, and he was so very young. You knew immediately Sebastian's interest in him.

His rich, tainted soul.

It did not interest you as much as you thought it would. Your priority was the task at hand, and as far as you were currently aware nobody here had seen through your facade. You bowed your head politely to the boy who was now your master, before raising your head again to meet his eye. Something flickered behind that sapphire orb; something like recognition. You wondered if he had worked out who, or what, you were but then it crossed your mind that this was impossible at this point in time.

"Sebastian will show you around the property, and introduce you to everybody else. Once again, I am sure you will do splendidly," said Ciel before sitting back down. He had stood to address you, but now that was no longer necessary. You nodded once more and looked to Sebastian, who you now realised had been watching you for a short period of time. You wanted to ask why, but that would not have been appropriate at all. Ciel looked at Sebastian, as though to indicate that to help you settle in was an order.

"Yes, my Lord," said the butler, placing a hand over his heart and bowing to his young master. Then, returning his gaze to you, he smiled slightly and spoke to you. "Please, Miss, follow me,"

You bowed to your new master and turned on your heels to hurry after Sebastian. He did not wait around, which suggested to you--in your wisdom and with your supernatural instincts--that he was not too fussed about making sure that you paid every respect to Ciel. That was another thing that made you wonder--why would that be? As the boy's butler, wasn't it his job to make sure that he received everything he was due? You knew immediately about their contract, too. You didn't need to see the mark to be able to feel the link between them. It would have been strange to you if you weren't...what you were.

You sighed. Moonlighting would be a little difficult, at worst, but it wouldn't be all that bad. So far so good, you thought, because the property was lovely and the people seemed pleasant enough. Especially Sebastian. He would make you feel better every time you saw him. He truly did pique your interest, and perhaps even more than that. He was very attractive indeed.

You followed him all about the house as he gave you the grand tour, and it all seemed very simple to you. You had always been rather good at remembering your way around places. It was part of what made you your targets' worst nightmare. You could remember any place, any area. You knew where everything was. You found it difficult to get lost anywhere. You suppressed a smile as you came to what you knew to be the last room that you would visit.

"Here are the servants' quarters," said Sebastian, opening the door for you. He allowed you inside before him, as a gentleman would. "And this is Baldroy, Mey-Rin and Finnian. You will meet Tanaka later, but these people are three of your colleagues,"

You smiled and bowed slightly at the waist to the three of them, now staring at you with wide eyes. There was a man, a young woman, and an even younger man who looked as though he was not long out of boyhood. "Hello!" they all sang out in unison. 

"Hello, everyone..." you said, a little more shyly. After all, it was in your 'nature'. "It is lovely to meet you all,"

Sebastian smiled slightly at you, before turning to the others with a less gentle expression. They caused him no end of trouble every day, anyway. "This is Miss (F/N) (L/N)," he said, introducing you to them. They all beamed brightly back at you, and you couldn't have felt more welcomed to the household than you did at that moment.

"Lovely to meet you too!" they all rang out again. You were impressed with their ability to speak all at once. Maybe that was something that you would acquire one day as well, you thought.

"Come now," said Sebastian, resisting the urge to touch your arm to attract your attention. He asked himself why he would have thought to do that--it wasn't like him at all to do such a thing. "We will fetch you a uniform and I will then explain your duties," He realised that he simply didn't want to keep you in the servants' quarters any longer; if he did, the others would surely want to talk to you all day long, and he still wasn't finished with you...

"Alright," you said, accepting what he was saying. "I'll catch up with you all later," you said to the others. They all nodded vigorously.

When you were gone and out of earshot, Baldroy looked over to the others and gave a low whistle. "Man, what a pretty girl she is..."

"Very pretty..." sighed Finnian. Mey-Rin nodded too. They were all equally curious about you, though.

You continued on down the corridor, walking behind Sebastian at a safe distance. "Do not worry about them if they start asking you questions later on..." he said calmly. "You can see in their faces that they are excited to meet you,"

You chuckled and replied, "It is a nice feeling to be so welcome in a place,"

"You are very welcome here," he said, looking over his shoulder at you to smile.

"Thank you, sir," you answered happily. "I believe that I will like it here very much,"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> Here, have another chapter! ^-^
> 
> \- SooperChicken


	4. The Dark Horse of Phantomhive Manor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now fully settled in to your new job at the Phantomhive Estate, you cannot help feeling slightly restless as no opportunity presents itself to allow you to gather more information about your target. Hopefully something will turn up soon...

Sebastian glanced out of the spotless window, looking out upon the garden from where he stood in Ciel's study. The young Earl sat in his chair behind the desk, making his way through the multitude of letters sitting in a pile before him. Sebastian remained in the room solely for the purpose of attending to his needs, should he require anything of him. Sebastian's eyes were fixed on something he'd seen outside, though. 

You. 

You were just doing your usual chores, helping Mey-Rin at the same time. You were currently helping her by putting the wet laundry out to dry, seeing as it was a sunny, breezy day. The air was cool, due to the autumnal weather in general, and even though your (H/C) hair was tied up in a cute, bouncy ponytail, it still blew in the wind and your fringe sometimes got in your eyes. Sebastian smiled discreetly to himself; he liked the way that you simply took the elements in your stride, however troublesome they could be at times. There had even been times when you had gone out of your way to help Finnian in the garden when it was raining.

Days like today, though, made him feel some peculiar, nameless sensation rise in his blood. The days when Baldroy and Finnian would lose their heads and go soft on you. Sebastian couldn't put words to the way it made him feel, but what he did know was that he wanted them to stop. Immediately. His eyes narrowed as Finny came bounding up to you like a rabbit, a little posy of colourful autumn flowers in his hand. He beamed at you as he offered it to you, and Sebastian felt a strange tightening in his chest as you smiled happily and accepted them. It became almost painful when you leaned in and gave the young gardener a sweet little hug in return. The young man blushed and scuttled off, clearly too shy to stay for a chat. You laughed, and although Sebastian could not hear you from inside the house he still heard your laugh tinkling in his mind from when he'd heard it before.

That laugh that could raise anyone's spirits...Even Ciel sometimes smiled when he heard you laughing.

The butler shook himself from the reverie that you had put him in. He refused to acknowledge the possibility of having a favourite here, and convinced himself to return to attending to Ciel's needs. He released an inaudible sigh, trying to relax after seemingly becoming so worked up. He tried not to let his mind wander again. The thoughts that they strayed to were either extremely fanciful and put him in a good mood or conversely, only served to make him miserable.

What was it about you that made him think and feel like this? He didn't know, and it wasn't his place to find out. Not yet, anyway. He would give it time.

"Sebastian, Baron Oakley and his son will be visiting again soon," said Ciel, glancing up at the demon for just a moment before returning to reading the letter he currently held delicately between his fingers.

"Oh, yes?" said Sebastian, raising an eyebrow at his young master. Of course, Ciel did not see this. He was unaware of just how many times Sebastian actually questioned him without vocalising it. "When should we expect them, my Lord?"

"Three days from now," said the boy in an almost disinterested tone of voice. His primary concern was making a good impression on people at each and every meeting with them, not the preparations that were required to make them comfortable. That was his servants' prerogative. He was simply there to oversee at times like those. Ciel vacantly pushed an already-open letter across the desk towards Sebastian, indicating that he should read it himself.

Sebastian only gazed blankly at his master before finally moving forwards to take the letter. He was a fast reader--naturally--and was finished with it in moments. "Right away, sir. I will inform the other servants; they should all learn to prepare for visitors instead of leaving it to me,"

"Yes, quite," said the boy, putting his current letter down in front of him. He clasped his hands together slightly in front of his face and stared at Sebastian.

"My Lord?" said the butler, wondering what was on his mind.

"How is the new girl settling in?" he asked without reservation. "From what I have seen, she does good work. It must be a relief to you to have someone reliable among the rabble..."

Sebastian smiled gently, and somewhat slyly. It was obvious that the 'rabble' to which Ciel referred consisted of Mey-Rin, Finny and Bard. Tanaka was virtually blameless; he was getting on in years and never caused trouble about the manor. But you were almost on par with Sebastian himself. It felt good to have somebody else who was as proficient as this.

"She is doing very nicely here," said the demon, holding his master's gaze. Being what he was, Sebastian knew that Ciel would eventually--he would never admit it but Sebastian could smell the discomfort--look away, feeling disturbed by the butler's piercing red gaze. "I think that it would be very wise to keep her around for as long as possible; she is as reliable as you say,"

Ciel smirked and turned slightly in his chair. "That's good then," he said, resting both of his hands in his lap. "Although...if I didn't know any better, seeing the way that you look at her I would say that you rather like her,"

Sebastian's eyes widened slightly before he gave a light chuckle. "What are you saying, my Lord?"

"I think that your interest in her is personal," said the Earl, glancing over at him again with one of the most cunning expressions the demon had ever seen the boy wear. "I'll grant you the fact that she's pretty, but I didn't think that  _you_ would be one to fall prey to something like this,"

Sebastian laughed again, quietly to himself. "You are making far too many assumptions, my Lord," he said, smirking slightly back at the boy.

"Oh, is it not a good idea to suggest that a demon might be infatuated with someone?" sneered the Earl. "I would even go so far as to suggest that it renders you slightly more human in my eyes,"

Sebastian did not give any indication to Ciel that his remark had any effect on him. He simply held him in his gaze, thinking to himself how peculiar his words were. To say that the possibility of liking someone made a  _demon_ seem more  _human_ sounded preposterous but he supposed that he had a point. Emotion was indeed a mark of humanity. But that depended on whether he could work out what it was that you made him feel.

He still felt as though Ciel's comment had been off the mark.

Just then, there was a knock upon the door. Ciel called for whoever it was to come inside, and when they did he glanced at Sebastian.  _"Speak of the Devil..."_ thought the Earl, returning his gaze to you. "Hello, (F/N)," he said calmly, leaving no hints whatsoever that you had been their topic of conversation up until this point.

"Good afternoon, my Lord," you said with a polite bow to him. "Another letter came for you a few minutes ago. I thought to bring it to you posthaste," Your smile was soft and gentle, and you positively exuded serenity as you stood there in the centre of the room. Ciel didn't have time to check Sebastian's reaction to your presence, but for this the latter was glad. His heartbeat quickened when he saw you open the door, and he had to force himself not to smile.

"Thank you," said Ciel, holding his hand out to receive the letter. You crossed the room silently and gracefully, like a swan over the water. Being attracted to Sebastian as you were, you wanted to make an impression on him at any given moment when you were in his company. Or even when you weren't. After all, he spotted you around the house every day, as he had a short while earlier.

You handed him the letter, and he took it gently. Before opening it, though, he looked up at you again and something seemed to occur to him. "Sebastian, please tell (F/N) about our guests in a few days' time," he said, glancing over at the demon. Sebastian was all-too happy to oblige, but he held himself in check.

"Miss (F/N), we will be visited by the Baron Oakley and his son in three days," he said, regarding you with a gentle expression. "We will be making special preparations for their stay here, to ensure that their experience is the best it can possibly be," You could almost hear the way that he forced those last few words, knowing that a demon wouldn't truly be interested in making the experiences of humans--especially those who could offer them nothing--pleasant. And neither were you, to be fair, but it was all part and parcel of your job now.

"As is the Phantomhive way..." you said in unison with him, finishing off the end of his explanation. Your eyes met as you did so, and there was that connection again. A ghost of a smile danced on your lips, as one did on his.

"Well, now that we are clear on what must be done, I trust that you can both make this happen. I place you both in charge of the preparations," said Ciel, noticing the spark between you and Sebastian. He didn't want to see any more of this, knowing that Sebastian would only continue to deny any feelings that he had. It would irritate Ciel if he kept nagging at his butler, especially if he would get no real answers. Besides...He wasn't entirely certain that he was correct in assuming that Sebastian liked you. He might have just seen something in you.

"Yes, my Lord," you said, bowing to him again. You were about to leave the room when you heard Ciel addressing Sebastian again.

"That means you need to go as well, Sebastian," he said sternly. You wondered why Sebastian had delayed, and considered the possibility of him honestly thinking that he should attend to this task later on. You heard the sigh that Sebastian didn't let out.

"Yes, Young Master," he said, bowing also. He left the room, closing the door behind him, and followed you down the corridor. He caught up with you quite quickly without having to walk particularly fast. You were idling.

"I apologise, Mr. Michaelis, but may I ask about the Baron Oakley and his son?" you asked, looking up at him with big, (E/C) eyes. You wanted to charm him as much as possible in order to get all of the information you required. Sebastian smiled down at you.

"Baron Oakley is one of the Master's business associates. He runs the day-to-day operations with a marketing agency who help to distribute the Funtom Company's products. His son, Clifford, works alongside the Baron to learn everything there is to know about the business because he will one day inherit it," replied Sebastian, giving you the most detailed answer that he could manage. "And please, my dear, call me Sebastian,"

You smiled to yourself, thinking that he had been incredibly detailed for another reason. Could it be that, perhaps, he actually enjoyed talking to people but didn't actually get the chance? You thought this unlikely, but there were few other explanations for it...

"Very well," you said, accepting his request for you to call him by his first name. "He sounds like an important man, and an intrinsic part of the Master's business dealings,"

Sebastian grinned, but didn't look at you this time. He was quietly impressed with your sophisticated speech and mannerisms. "Yes, he is. And I would imagine that, working together, we could make them feel very welcome here,"

You liked the sound of that, working with Sebastian. You had a few slightly saucier thoughts crossing your mind, but you banished them to a dark corner of your mind with a slap on the wrist. "I would say that is sound thinking," you replied with a smile in his direction. As he looked at you, his chest tightened again but in your eyes he saw something. He wasn't sure what it was, but it fascinated him. It was dark, and secretive. He wanted to unlock it, however he could...and he knew one way in particular that he wanted to do that. He chuckled.

"I also think that having you here will greatly improve the Earl's dealings with the Baron. He has, after all, been here a few times before," said Sebastian, distracting himself from those thoughts that would, by many, be considered shameful.

"Oh? What makes you say that, sir?"

"Well, you are very...efficient," he replied, skirting around the issue. He probably shouldn't have said that but it was alright. "A Lord or Lady's servants say a lot about the household,"

"I agree," you replied, nodding your head. Your main interest, though, was the Baron and his son, although you also wanted to know what Sebastian really wanted to say to you. You could sense from Sebastian's knowledge of them that they were the ones that you should soon be watching closely. Just as you thought this, you came to the door of the kitchen and you could hear the others chattering away inside. You smiled and went to put your hand on the door handle, but instead of touching metal you instead touched Sebastian's hand. He had beaten you to the door, and was leaning over you to open it. You quickly took your hand away, and tried not to smile too much about the lovely cliché.

"After you, Miss," he said, smiling naturally but also for the same reason that you were. He let you pass before him, but to your surprise he lightly touched your back to gently usher you inside. You smiled and did as you were told. You couldn't let personal feelings stand in the way of your mission, but you found that you were greatly looking forward to what the future would bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Wednesday, everybody!
> 
> Here is Chapter Four for you lovely people!
> 
> I have realised that, the further into this story I go, the more likely it is looking that I will possibly be able to satisfy two requests at the same time...I hope that's alright! As always, I will continue to do my very best to write stories that you'll all enjoy! :)
> 
> \- SooperChicken


	5. Oakley and Son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With everything fully prepared for a visit from Baron Oakley and his son, Clifford, you are also preparing yourself for a day of careful observation of your guests.
> 
> Will everything run smoothly?

You stood in the servants' quarters behind Mey-Rin, helping her with fixing her hair in a slightly different style to how she usually wore it. She had noticed the way that you had changed yours from a ponytail to identical braids, tumbling down over your shoulders towards your chest. The style was fairly loose at the top, and she had liked the way it looked so much that she desired a change of style herself. You were more than happy to oblige, having grown quite fond of her in your time at Phantomhive Manor.

"There," you said, finishing your little task. "What do you think?"

Mey-Rin turned and looked at herself in the nearby mirror, and squealed with delight. Her cheeks flooded pink and she placed her hands over them in excitement. "Oh it's lovely, it is!" she said happily, turning around to face you. "What do you make of it?"

"I think that it suits you wonderfully," you said kindly, smiling sweetly at her. "You're sure to turn a few heads,"

The more you thought about it, the more you realised that she would be an instant favourite if only she didn't wear those spectacles of hers. You knew that she didn't need them, having seen her without them before. She had the most amazing brown eyes, and they were so sharp that you could have sworn an oath that they were like those of a hawk. You felt a small pang of jealousy in your heart, and wondered why Sebastian's image flashed before your eyes.

Yes, you found him attractive, but you weren't  _that_ swayed by him--were you?

"--as you..." said Mey-Rin, voice bringing you back to reality. The spell that was seemingly cast over you was broken, and you were released from your trance.

"I do apologise..." you murmured, feeling genuine regret for not listening to her. "...Please can you repeat that?"

Mey-Rin smiled softly at you and you could almost sense what her eyes were doing behind the thick lenses of her spectacles. You knew that they were just as soft as the smile. "I said I wish that I was as pretty as you," she said, granting your request for a reiteration. You were stunned--you honestly didn't think that much of yourself, so to receive such a compliment was a surprise. A pleasant one, it should be noted, but you still didn't quite know what to do with yourself upon hearing her say this.

"...Thank you..." you said quietly, looking down at your feet. Very rare were the occasions when you could be made to feel so humble and  _shy_. "I'm nothing special, though..."

"Oh, yes you are!" your friend cut in, grinning brightly at you. "You're lovely! I'm even rather jealous about it, but...I think Sebastian likes you,"

Your heart nearly jumped into your throat, but you still couldn't work out why. Sebastian liked you? She really thought that? Why?

"What makes you think that...?" you asked carefully, moving away from her to stand before the mirror yourself, straightening the hem of your dress and retying your apron strings.

"Oh, it's just the way 'e looks at you sometimes..." she replied, almost sadly. You knew that she was rather sweet on him herself, but you had been surprised--again--to hear her say such a thing. "It's all soft-like..."

"Oh, I don't know about that," you chuckled, patting a few stray, frizzy hairs down on your head so that your hair was completely smooth. You wanted to laugh the subject off, but the truth of the matter was that the notion made something stir inside you...

Just then, Finny appeared at the door and smiled at you both. "It's time to get ready! The guests will be here any minute now!"

You grinned, but it was mostly to yourself. It was beginning, and you were looking forward to this. Her Majesty had told you that you would know the correct person when you saw him, even if you were previously unaware of his existence. That was one of the advantages of being a hybrid like you. You had the best of both worlds, in terms of where your parents hailed from. You turned, and walked out of the room with Finny and Mey-Rin. Despite your ordinary outlook on socialisation, you were very fond of the people here.

-

Standing on ceremony in the lounge, you tried to eavesdrop on the Earl's conversation with the Baron and his son. You were very grateful for having been selected to be the one to be on hand alongside Sebastian, and alongside him you were indeed; you were stood almost shoulder to shoulder with him, and you could practically feel the heat radiating from his body. You tried to suppress the tremble of your muscles that threatened to overwhelm you; he was so attractive to you--so  _ideal_ \--that your true instincts  _screamed_ at you to become one with him. You were shocked at your own despicable, unsavoury thoughts, but everything about his aura told you that he was yet available and more than open to the possibilities.

That was the way it worked with demons. They made clear their intentions as far as...companionship was concerned.

You dragged your thoughts away from getting up to no good with Sebastian to focus on what was going on before you. The conversation seemed rather serious, but only in terms of the words being exchanged, not the tone. As you watched the three nobles conversing in front of you, Clifford--Baron Oakley's son--looked you right in the eyes from across the room. You looked down, instantly remembering your...bad habit. It only happened when you wanted it to, but being on-edge as you were you didn't trust yourself not to use your own unique power on Clifford.

Suddenly, he gave a slight smirk while he continued to stare at you. There was something about the man that confused you, even with your heightened senses. You could not tell which Oakley was your real target. There was nothing to distinguish one from the other in terms of their intentions. It occurred to you that they could both be playing the role of 'one' target, but you dismissed the thought, realising that if Her Majesty required you to eliminate two people she would have instructed you to do so.

So which man was the one that you had to kill? Was it Earnest, Baron Oakley, or his son Clifford?

You glanced to your right--you didn't know what made you do it--to see Sebastian gazing at the younger Oakley with what could only be described as distaste. Clifford was not looking at Sebastian, but rather kept his gaze fixed solidly on you. It did not unnerve you in the slightest, but as soon as there was a break in the conversation between Earnest and Ciel, Clifford spoke up while continuing to watch you.

"Excuse me, Lord Phantomhive..." he said carefully, approaching the boy with a question.

"Yes, Master Oakley?"

"Please may I ask your lovely maid to come over here for a moment?"

Your muscles were wired and felt as though electricity was flowing through them at extremely high voltage. You didn't want to get any closer to this man, for fear that you were correct in assuming for yourself what he was thinking. Even so, you could not ignore your master's orders.

"Of course. (F/N), please come here,"

You resisted the urge to sigh and obeyed Ciel's command. You approached the sofa where Clifford sat, and he looked up at you with dark grey eyes. You weren't sure how you felt about being summoned by him. Sebastian, on the other hand, was positively fuming. He could see right through Clifford's disguise.

"Can I help you, sir?" you said in a demure, quiet voice. Still you avoided looking him right in the eyes.

"I just wanted a better look at you, my love," he said, in a sickeningly sweet tone. "You remind me of somebody..."

 _"Oh, please don't say what I think you're going to say..."_ you thought, desperate for him to shut up already.

"Ah! Yes, that's who!" he announced happily, clicking his fingers in triumph. "You remind me of the Duke of Thurstan's daughter..."

Inwardly, you froze up at his words. You were indeed the daughter of the Duke of Thurstan, but you had rather hoped that nobody would recognise you. Ciel looked up as Clifford said this to you, and studied your face for a moment.

"Ah, yes...Now I see it," said Ciel, mulling the situation over. "I did think that you reminded me of someone..."

You smiled shyly and tried to brush the comments off like they were nothing. "I am sure that it is just a coincidence...An uncanny resemblance..."

Clifford nodded and so did Ciel. "It does happen," said the former, agreeing with what you were saying. "I must say, though, you are incredibly beautiful, Miss. Just like the Duke's daughter,"

You forced a blush to rise to your face and you hid your face as best you could. The white ribbons decorating the ends of your braids contrasted brightly with your dark blue dress, resting against your chest as you kept your head down. You weren't sure that you enjoyed this attention anyway, regardless of whether you were feigning timidness or not.

Clifford was suddenly interrupted by Ciel loudly clearing his throat. He obviously did not approve of Clifford's blatant flirting with you; neither did his father. "(F/N), you are excused," said Ciel, wishing to free you from Clifford's attention. Of course, the younger Oakley's eyes followed you as you returned to your spot beside Sebastian, but you ignored him completely. You wanted to be able to feel the warmth emanating from the demon beside you, rather than focusing too much on the young Lord sitting opposite your master.

The more you thought about it, the more suspicious you became of Clifford rather than Earnest. You had suspected Earnest of being Queen Victoria's problem, but the quiet, courteous, respectful man did not raise any alarms with you. Clifford, on the other hand, struck you as something of a charlatan and you could just about hear it in his voice when he spoke to you in that smarmy manner. You would always appreciate a compliment, but when it was as sickening and oily as that--and indicative of greater knowledge of you than you would have liked--you would never be comfortable in that kind of company. 

A few more minutes ticked by, and suddenly both you and Sebastian were distracted by Ciel summoning you both, this time. "Please bring more refreshments," he said quietly, and in such a tone that both indicated his authority and his courtesy towards his servants. He didn't want to appear to be a brat in front of his guests, after all.

"Yes, my Lord," you both said at once, bowing to him simultaneously. You picked up all of the teacups and saucers and placed them on the tray that you had brought with you upon being summoned for the second time, but when you were finished Sebastian lightly and chivalrously took it from your hands to lessen the load on you. It was only a tea set, you thought...

-

You reached the kitchen and let out a short, shallow sigh. Sebastian heard and turned to you with a curious expression. "Are you alright, Miss (F/N)?" he asked, eyeing you with slight concern. He had detested the way that Clifford had touched your arm while talking to you, telling you how beautiful you were. He didn't like it one bit...

"Ah! Yes, thank you..." you said, setting about making more tea for Ciel and his guests. "Why do you ask?"

You hadn't realised, but Sebastian was now right behind you and he touched your hand to force you to stop what you were doing. You stayed your hand, trembling slightly, with a teaspoon full of tea pinched between your thumb and index finger. You felt Sebastian lean over you and whisper in your ear, the gentle, ticklish sensation causing you pleasure rather than anxiety. You had never known yourself to feel such emotions before...It was not entirely unpleasant. Besides, you could smell Sebastian's freshly cleaned uniform and on top of that some kind of understated, elegant cologne that suited him perfectly.

"Because you are trembling, and I wanted to know if that man distressed you in any way..." he murmured, so close to your ear.

You didn't know what to say, at first, instincts demanding once more that you turn to him and submit but you could not. You could not even move. God help him, you thought, if you regained your confidence soon. "I was just a little nervous, that's all..." you admitted at length, trying to spoon the tea into the teapot again. When the tea went into the pot, Sebastian gently took the spoon from you and placed it down on the table.

When you tried to pick it up again he took you by the hand and raised it, bringing it up so that he could rest his cheek against it. You were so surprised that your knees nearly buckled beneath you, but you held strong. "...And why might that be.... _my Lady?_ _"_ he purred, feeling you tense up against him. He knew.

"What did you just call me...?" you whispered, leaning back towards him slightly.

"You really are the daughter of the Duke of Thurstan, aren't you?" he growled, revealing the animal inside of him. He was somewhat irked that you had deceived him, but on the other hand he liked you.  _Really_ liked you. He didn't care  _that_ much about the deception. "I saw your reaction to their comments about your likeness to the Duke's daughter...You did not even question who the Duke was. Because you already know. And the panic set in as you realised that it was possible that they had seen through your ruse..."

"N-no..." you lied, but as soon as you spoke Sebastian used his entire body to pin you against the table.

"Why do you insist on lying to me?" he growled, trailing a hand up your side. You squirmed under his fingertips, but he only seemed to enjoy himself more. You felt his hips rock against you from behind, and you had to try with all your might to suppress the moan that threatened to escape. "And why do you try to hide your nature?"

You gasped and, even against his weight, managed to twist around so that you were facing him. "What are you--?!"

Sebastian silenced you by stealing a forbidden kiss from your lips. When it ended, he pulled away and winked. "The same way that you found out about me," he whispered, tilting your head upwards to face him. "And I suspect that the only reason that you haven't pushed me away yet is because you, too, feel this  _extraordinary_ attraction..."

He was referring to the spark between you both, and you didn't know where his sudden lust had come from but you liked it. You just wished that he hadn't seen through your  _entire_ disguise and all at once, too.

"...The Master wants some tea," you said at last, raising one eyebrow at him ever so slightly. You weren't getting into this now--you had a mission to be getting on with. At least Sebastian hadn't seemed to have picked up on _that_ yet. A smirk played on your lips, dancing around like the flickering of a candle. Sebastian smirked back at you as you turned around and finished preparing the refreshments. You picked up the tray and made to return to the lounge with everything.

"You're mine, (F/N)," he said, calling after you at the last minute. You grinned to yourself, hearing the dominant alpha male tone of voice as he spoke. You had indeed entered his lair, and that was enough to put you in his line of sight, but you were also rather more like him than anybody else in the house and there was an instant match, to top it all off. Again, you didn't know why he'd suddenly seen fit to express his desire for you, but you weren't going to question it too much.

You stopped and turned back to him, briefly, and grinned. "Well, then," you said, just to begin with. "You know how this works. You're going to have to prove yourself, and  _show me_ why I'm "yours"," you went on, teasing him as much as you possibly could. He looked as though he was ready to devour you, to launch himself at you there and then. He smirked once again. "Understand?"

"I do indeed..." he purred, eyeing you hungrily. "I hope that  _you_ will understand, though, that I will not tolerate any other man touching you...Not even lightly, as Baron Oakley's son did earlier..."

You gave him a perfect, foxy smile and turned on your heels once more. "Then I suggest you get a move on," you mewled, walking away. You sashayed a little as you went, making sure that your hips moved in such a fashion that would drive him crazy before you went out of sight.

Sebastian shook his head and chuckled.  _"Oh I will,"_ he thought to himself, picking up the plate of sweets on the kitchen counter and placing it on the remaining silver tray, ready to take it back to the lounge.  _"Who would have thought...?"_

He always knew that you fascinated him, but he hadn't wanted to admit his feelings. They had all come out in a rush after seeing Clifford behaving in such a manner towards you, and practically--based on the tone of his voice--propositioning you in front of everyone. Sebastian didn't care anymore, though. He was going to find out everything about you, and enjoy himself while doing it. After all was said and done, he would have a very,  _very_ lovely companion...

He smiled to himself as he walked towards the lounge again. Where you were his favourite person before, you were now his greatest treasure. He wondered what brought someone like you to Phantomhive Manor...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody!
> 
> Chapter Five is now online. Hope it was alright…I’m struggling a little bit with writer’s block again, but I will do my very best not to let it get in the way too much! :) I also don't know what happened towards the end but it seemed to fit, with everything getting a bit hot under the collar, if you know what I mean... ;)
> 
> \- SooperChicken


	6. Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following your heated conversation with Sebastian in the kitchen, you now have a set of lustful yet suspicious eyes on you.  
> What's going to happen now?

The conversation between the Oakleys and Ciel seemed to yield nothing, and so you took the tea set and plates away to the kitchen after the Earl's initial meeting with the Baron and his son. Earnest and Clifford were staying for the night, which didn't bode well for you considering Clifford's strange advances on you, but at least that offered you the opportunity to continue your investigation of either Earnest or Clifford's connection to the Queen's mission for you.

Under the cover of darkness. There was no doubt in your mind that your target was one of these two men. You just could not distinguish whom, and even with the most obvious personality traits between them you knew that it was folly to pin the blame on one of them based on that.

You were now washing up plates and cutlery and, more carefully, the teacups and teapot. You frowned to yourself; today had been quite unproductive, but at least you'd managed--somehow--to get a kiss from Sebastian, and possibly more. Still you sighed and continued with your work. You still had a job to do, even if you had been outed by one of your colleagues.

You were so absorbed with doing the dishes that you didn't hear the other person in the kitchen with you. Even when they were right behind you, you hadn't managed to detect them as you gently wiped the china down. Your hands were still wet as the hand of another slid up your back. You tried to turn around, but they grabbed you from behind and put their hand over your eyes to blind you.

"Shh..." whispered Sebastian, holding you still with his other arm wrapped around your body, pressed right up against him again. You tried to wriggle away from him, to fight him, but because his approach had come as a surprise you found yourself lacking the power to do so. You relaxed a little, and submitted to him. For now.

"What do you want?" you growled, moving not a single muscle.

You heard him chuckle quietly next to your ear. "There are many things..." he purred, gently dragging his hand back across your abdomen while still keeping you very still. You had an inkling that you knew what that meant. "...And you're going to give them to me...Aren't you?"

Oh, his voice was so low, and seductive. You wanted him, there and then. But you would play his game. After all, you were just like him but different enough to add some new rules... "Depends what "they" are," you purred, moving your hips in a snakelike fashion in order to gently brush your backside against him. He moaned slightly, taking care not to be too loud. He didn't want to attract anyone else's attention, of course. He rolled his hips against you in exactly the same place, before moving a hand to your neck and raising your head so that you looked at the ceiling. You felt a sharp, stinging pain as he bit your neck--not too hard, but it still drew blood--and then his soft, wet tongue as he licked the blood away.

"So you're going to be facetious?" he rumbled, nipping at your earlobe this time. "We'll talk about this in private, in that case,"

Before you could even utter a question about what he meant by that, he had scooped you up and draped you over his shoulder, walking out of the kitchen with you as you continued to allow him to do what he wanted. Because you wanted exactly the same thing.

-

Sebastian threw you down upon the bed in his own private quarters. He never used it, and while you always used your bed you never really slept. You didn't need to, for the same reasons as he didn't. As soon as you were down, he was on top and kissing you ravenously. His lips were warm and soft against yours, and every so often he would draw your bottom lip between his teeth, occasionally sucking on it. You gasped and he immediately slipped his tongue into your mouth, tenderly caressing yours. Your arms wrapped around his back, wandering up and down. Sometimes your fingers tangled in his hair, sometimes they wandered a bit lower than you originally intended.

"I told you..." he growled, moving to kiss your neck. "You're mine, (F/N), and we're going to be very busy this evening..."

You whined against him and squirmed slightly, adoring his ministrations on your body. Every kiss, every manipulation, every simple touch. Everything about the way he treated you now was perfect. Finally you could let your true colours show.

Sebastian was already beginning to undress you, unable to keep his patience. He wanted to see your body, to kiss it and make love to it. You could practically hear his thoughts, and so you made yours known too by pushing his jacket off his shoulders. He chuckled darkly, seizing your lips with his one more time. The kiss was deep and passionate, and he was as ready for you as you were for him. You had been driving him mad lately, and all he wanted to do was ravage you. He knew what you were, but he didn't care about that; he wanted you for himself.

"You're eager, aren't you?" he growled, nipping at your collarbone. You giggled and pushed yourself deeper into the bed as though to escape from him a little, but he followed you. "I like that..."

You grinned as he kissed you over and over again. You liked his eagerness too. "Yes...So give me a hand, will you?" you chuckled, meaning for him to help you out by undressing himself as well. But that wasn't how he interpreted your words...

You were already down to your underwear, after Sebastian had basically torn your clothes from your body. He removed his gloves, and the next thing you felt was a slender finger slipping between your folds. You gasped, a sound that became more of a sigh than a cry. He leaned back down to kiss you, enjoying every second that he spent pleasuring you. You whimpered, though, as he took his hand away. You wondered why, just as he began removing his waistcoat, shirt and necktie. You found yourself in awe of his incredible physique, and if he had been the last thing you ever saw you would not have complained.

"Seen something you like?" he growled, chuckling again as he did so. He came back towards you with a smile, before slyly beginning to remove your underwear. He couldn't wait any longer...but he had other plans, too...

"I have indeed..." you purred, eyeing him seductively.

"Good..." he whispered. He stooped down to kiss your chest, giving you every reason to think that he was going to give some attention to your breasts. You were absolutely throbbing for him, but suddenly he grabbed your wrists and pinned them behind your head. "Now..."

"What are you doing?" you asked, giggling slightly as you spoke. You weren't quite sure what he was planning for you, but you supposed that you would just have to wait and see.

"I have some questions for you," he rumbled, grip tightening on your wrists. You were strong, probably just as strong as him, so he didn't hurt you but he was stopping you from getting what you  _really_ wanted. That just wasn't fair...

"You're really going to start this  _now_...?" you growled, a little cross with him for interrupting the fun you were having. But, you had to admit, it was an interesting twist.

"Yes," he chuckled, grinning down at you. "If you tell me what I desire to know, I will give you  _everything..._ "

"Does that mean I get you, in the end?" you hummed, flashing your catlike eyes at him and smiling so perfectly that he nearly abandoned his resolve.

He growled, pinching your backside as he did so. "Yes, you will get me in the end," he murmured, looking you straight in the eyes. "Now, what are you  _really?_ " he asked, raising an eyebrow at you. "You are not human,"

"No, I'm not..." you whispered a confession, but that apparently wasn't good enough for him.

"I asked what you are,  _exactly,_ " he snarled, eyes turning fuchsia as he lost his patience ever so slightly.

"If I answer you straight you  _will not_ breathe a word to anyone, or I will not be held responsible for my actions," you snapped back, wriggling slightly under his tight hold. 

Sebastian smirked at you and leaned in close enough to kiss you, but withheld that which you so craved. Still. "I do not believe that you are in any position to threaten me," he whispered seductively. His tongue snaked out and licked your bottom lip with its tip just before he pulled away. He didn't trust you not to bite him back, knowing that you had it in you to be a complete animal like him.

"Oh really?" you sneered, and wrapped one leg around his waist. His eyes widened at what you did next, using your incredible strength to flip him onto his back where you could straddle him. He stared up at you in total surprise, and you pinned his hands behind his head instead. You leaned in and kissed him, rocking your hips against his purely for the torture value of the motion. "I would say the opposite,"

Sebastian growled at you and tried to force you off him, but you were much too powerful. He hadn't expected this of you, but now it was clear. You had it in you to summon the most extraordinary strength, and at this juncture he wasn't certain that he wanted to know what else you were capable of.

"Now," you said, repeating his tone from earlier. "What do you think I am?"

He continued to stare up at you, satisfied with the almost complete view of your body from where he lay. He had initially been concerned with not being able to see your body, but he most certainly could. "You are a demon...but not wholly,"

You grinned and nodded slightly. "Correct. Let me reward you," you purred, pinning him with one hand while unfastening his belt with the other. You heard his breathing hitch as you worked, and then he elicited a moan as you let your hips grind against his. You let his hands go for just a moment, moving with inhuman speed to put your lips to his manhood. He cried out gently as you licked him, and then as you took his entire length in your mouth. He didn't even attempt to overpower you as you trusted him with the full use of his hands, should he choose to do anything to you. When you released him, you looked up and saw that his cheeks were lightly dusted with pink, and he (adorably) had difficulty meeting your gaze.

"What's the matter? Are you embarrassed?" you teased, running the tip of your index finger down his torso.

"No," he snarled, cheeks flooding slightly redder.

"Is it because of what I am?" you went on, batting your long eyelashes at him. "Is this big...proud...powerful demon having trouble being dominated by a demon-angel hybrid?" you purred, bringing fully into the light the nature of your existence.

"No, it has nothing to do with that..."

"So you don't care that someone with the blood of an angel is making you her slave...?" You knew what was going to get under his skin, and you were right.

"Yes, but you also have the blood of a demon," he growled, flipping you very suddenly and slamming you down on the bed. This time, he held you--gently--by the throat to keep you down. "And since that is what I am, I fully intend to be the one in charge. I am the male, after all...You know how mating rituals work with demons,"

His glittering red eyes and devious smirk told you all that you needed to know. Yes, you did indeed know how demonic mating rituals worked, but your heart was pounding loudly and excitedly in your chest to think that this was not just going to be a casual, one-time thing. He intended to mate with you; it was a lifelong commitment. You just about managed a nod. To deny a male demon his desire to take a female as his mate was dangerous, but possible. But you didn't want to deny him. A female could take a male too, but it was generally male-dominated because they were known to be more aggressive in the process.

It was not known to be painful or life-threatening, though.

Seeing your compliance, Sebastian rolled you onto your front and proceeded to tease your entrance with his hard member. "Now for my second question..." he growled, almost ordering you to answer as soon as he asked. He expected total obedience from you now, and if you didn't show him that desired behaviour...he didn't know what he was going to end up doing. Having you there in front of him, stark naked and silently begging for him, was almost too much to resist. "Why would a demon-angel hybrid, and the daughter of a Duke, be interested in working for an Earl? You're looking for something, aren't you?"

"You said "second question". You just asked me two..."

Your cheeky interruption was punished by a hard slap administered to your backside and you let out a short, shrill shriek. You loved it, but you had to be careful not to wake the entire household. Not that either of you would care if someone came knocking. They would just end up either getting a show or seeing something they didn't want to.

"Don't be so obtuse," he snarled, pushing the head of his shaft just inside of your entrance. You whimpered desperately, longing for the entire length. But you knew that he would not oblige until after you gave him a good enough answer. "Answer me. Why are you really here?"

You refused to answer, trying to wait him out. Perhaps if you waited too long he would lose patience entirely and just take you. You were wrong. He slapped you again, even harder than before, and you squealed in both pain and excitement. You growled soon after, and turned your head slightly to face him. He was forcing you to give up two of your best-kept secrets...

But fine. He was going to be your mate in a few minutes anyway, and if he breathed a word to anyone of this then he would face your wrath.

"Queen Victoria sent me. Earl Phantomhive is acquainted with the target that I have been sent to kill..." you spat.

Sebastian smirked, unbeknown to you. "Ah...So  _you're_ the Queen's Bloodhound. If the Young Master found out, you might have something more personal to talk about, with him being her Watchdog. I've heard all about you, you know," he whispered, running his hand gently over your smarting backside. The pain was unbelievable, but there was no feeling akin to the pleasure that raced through your body as he rammed himself fully inside you.

You nearly collapsed with the pleasure, but held strong for the purpose of proving yourself to be his only worthy counterpart. It was all part and parcel of becoming the mate of a demon; if the receiving mate could withstand the power of the giver, he or she would have done more than enough to prove themselves. And after all, before the mating, the giver had to prove themselves to the receiver as well, so it was very equal ground indeed.

" _Fuck..._ " you heard him hiss, slightly under his breath. It only made you buck against him, causing his movements to become feverish and uneven. His breathing was ragged, just like yours, and it was all he could do not to spend immediately. He slammed into you over and over again before finally pinning you to the bed underneath him. You had reached your own climax moments earlier, causing his release. You felt the thick, hot seed pouring into you, filling you completely. Sebastian remained on top of you, chest to your back, and held your hands beside your head as he waited inside you, making sure that the seed reached your womb. Even if your activities didn't result in a pregnancy just yet, it was still a risk that you accepted in accepting him at the same time. It was just the way your kind behaved.

Sebastian parted from you and laid down next to you, and you turned to face him. He grinned at you and pulled you close to him. You knew what was coming next; he brought your hand near his mouth and bit your wrist, causing slight searing pain but not too much. He then offered you his so that you could do the same. By morning, there would be matching seals similar to contract seals on both of your wrists.

You cuddled into him, breathing in his now familiar scent. There was nothing about him that you didn't adore, but you were curious about something. "Why did you want to know about me that much?" you murmured, a little worried about your secrets getting out now. You almost heard the smile in his voice.

"You can trust that this will go no further than me," he said. "Besides, it wouldn't do for there to be any secrets between mates, would it?"

You smiled and sighed, nodding shortly afterwards as he wound his arm around you. "I suppose not..."

You knew why he had done the things he had tonight, and similarly you knew that there was nothing that he was keeping from you. You were glad to be with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, beautiful people!
> 
> Trying to fight through writer's block still; it was a struggle to think of a title for this chapter! But--again--I hope it's alright!
> 
> Just a little heads-up for the weekend, I do apologise but it is starting to look as though I won't have access to a laptop so there is a chance that I won't be uploading for a day or so...I will, however, do my best in this regard and I will try to get something done on my phone, circumstances willing! 
> 
> \- SooperChicken


	7. Reformulating a Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days later, you sit at the kitchen table poring over the information available to you about Earnest and Clifford Oakley. You cannot make sense of the situation, nor can you decide who is more likely to be your target. And how will you dispose of them when the time comes?
> 
> The answer comes to you in the form of your newest ally.

You drummed your fingernails on the dark wooden table, staring into space. To anyone else, it would have looked as though you were daydreaming but the truth of it was that you were deep in thought. All you could concentrate on was your mission.

And Sebastian, when he was around.

You still couldn't believe that he had made you tell him everything, including who you were. "I'm losing my touch..." you thought, but the thought was preceded immediately by a smile. He was your mate now, and you had each other to yourselves.

You let out a brief sigh, resting your head in one hand. You gazed out of the window and wondered what you were going to do about your mission. The Oakleys were, by this time, long gone from the Phantomhive Estate and so you had no more time to gather information on them for the time being.

Again, you found yourself adrift in a sea of your own thoughts.

-

You were soon brought back to reality by a pair of strong arms enveloping you, pulling you up out of your chair and flush against their owner's body.

You would recognise them anywhere, and the warmth and the scent of the man embracing you.

"Hello..." you murmured, relaxing into him.

"Hello," he whispered back, leaning far enough around you to kiss the corner of your lips. You shivered excitedly as the kiss connected.

You smiled, knowing that you would have to be the one to continue the conversation, or risk Sebastian filling the blanks with whatever he wanted. And you had a feeling that, after the long day away from the manor with the Master, you knew exactly what he was going to be angling for.

"How did the Earl's business go?" you said, still remaining quiet enough that only he could hear you. You didn't often refer to Ciel as your master in front of Sebastian, now that he knew who you were.

"It was fine...Tedious, but fine," growled your mate, nuzzling into your neck. He just wanted you, and the comfort that only you could offer. "How are you? You didn't even hear me come in..."

You sighed and looked down at the table. He could feel the tension leaving your body, but it was only because you were losing your motivation to deal with your mission.

"I suppose I was lost in thought..." you whispered, fighting the urge to dive back into them again.

"Thinking about this mission of yours?"

You chuckled quietly at his question. "How did you know?"

"Well..." he said, laughing along with you. "I like to think that I know you, now,"

You nodded and leaned back into him. "You may be right," you said teasingly. "But yes, I was thinking about that,"

"And what about it is bothering you?" he asked, genuinely wondering what was wrong. He found himself--against his nature--wanting to help someone who was not his master. But you were his mate, and that was a bond infinitely stronger than any contract for a soul.

"I'm just confused. I don't know who I'm actually supposed to be hunting,"

Sebastian smiled, and you felt his lips turning upwards in that cunning grin as he rested his head against yours. "What would you say if I said that I knew?"

You turned to face him slightly, shooting him with a curious stare. "How could you know?"

"Well. I would think that Her Majesty was very unfair to expect you to locate her target with little information, and I really shouldn't allow you to kill one of my master's contacts...But I happen to know that one of them is up to no good,"

Your body was suddenly hit by a wave of electricity, the metaphoric manifestation of your sudden excitement. "Can you help me, then?" you asked, realising your dire need for assistance.

"Ah, so you're putting your obvious pride aside to ask for help?" he teased, kissing your jaw. He knew that you wouldn't normally put your nature aside to ask for help from another, but he could see that now was an exception.

"Don't push me or I'll carry on regardless," you growled, not appreciating his playful dig. You could tell that he was enjoying your perplexed state of mind; it was disconcerting, but you didn't mind too much. You couldn't help it, anyway, and to accept help from him wasn't such a bad thing; he worked for the Queen's Guard Dog after all.

Sebastian chuckled darkly and acquiesced. "Very well, then..." he purred. "But taking out the culprit won't be easy. They're surprisingly astute and well-prepared,"

"And who is the culprit, exactly? And what has he done to raise your suspicions?"

Sebastian smiled and spun you around to face him. "The grasping son, of course," he said with a chuckle. "I know that you suspected as much. What isn't there to be suspicious of?"

Your brow furrowed and you gave him a questioning look. "I did, but...What has he done to warrant a death sentence from the Queen?"

"I take it that Her Majesty does not inform you of the reasoning behind her orders?" he said gently, eyeing you with just as much softness. "I suppose that this is part of your job description, to not question her?"

"Precisely..." you said with a deep sigh. His eyes still searched you, and still you felt as though you could ignite under his gaze. Those red orbs of his were wonderful. "My job is simply to find and kill them, but I do not know if Her Majesty really knew who I was hunting this time..."

"Well that wasn't very helpful of her, was it?" said Sebastian with a huff. He sounded genuinely irked in your place. "But I digress. Clifford Oakley has appeared suspicious to myself as well, for the reason that he has made deliberate attempts to take over his father's business so early on,"

"But Baron Oakley isn't anywhere near his time yet," you said, a little surprised that Clifford would be so...well, grasping. As Sebastian had already described him.

"Exactly. And since his father has business dealings with the Young Master, this concerns me all the more. He may be an inexperienced and brash young nobleman, but he is cunning and deceptive," said Sebastian, shaking his head slightly. "I would like it very much if he was kept as far as possible from the Funtom Company,"

You smiled and nodded. "So how would I go about disposing of him?"

"We, my love. I intend to help you," said Sebastian, and your heart leaped for joy. You loved his hands-on approach, especially now that you were together. He was positively phenomenal. "I would imagine that your mission requires the utmost discretion, yes?"

You nodded, this being your only response.

"Well, then. So too must my business remain secret, at all costs. Nobody must know that the Phantomhives had anything to do with the death of this man; it could ruin the Earl,"

You nodded again, knowing that this was extremely important. And, you thought, you had been doing this for years. You had not yet sullied your own family's name with your subterranean missions for the Queen, so it was incredibly unlikely that anyone else would suffer the consequences of your actions.

"So how shall we do it?"

"Any way that we can, without drawing attention. And that is something that our kind do best..." chuckled Sebastian, winking at you. You grinned happily, realising that he knew precisely the situation that you were in, and how he already had an idea of how to deal with it.

Sebastian leaned in and kissed you, knowing that you fully approved of his ideas. All that remained was to put your loose plan into action, and that was that. You might lure your target somewhere and take him out that way, but it still confused you as to why the Queen wanted you to kill him and how she had expected you to find out who he was on such minimal information.

Then you thought that perhaps she expected it of you because of what you were, and you would undoubtedly come into contact with others like yourself who would be able to give you hints.

It most certainly made you wonder what her intentions were. She could be a very crafty woman.

As you kissed Sebastian, again and again, you wondered about something else. Were you being punished for being supernatural, for want of a better word? And because your father was a Duke, that put you in close proximity to the Queen herself?

It made you feel a little pitiful, in truth. But the love that Sebastian was now bestowing upon you filled you with strength and delight. You never wanted it to end.

You didn't even stop when the kitchen door opened.

Baldroy stood there, gawking at you and looked to be incredibly shocked. You halted your display of affection with Sebastian for just a moment, and looked at Bard with surprise and just a hint of embarrassment.

"Oh, u-um...Don't mind me!" he stammered, trying to look anywhere other than at you. Clearly he hadn't expected you to be in what was obviously an intimate relationship with Sebastian. Bard scuttled out of the room, determined not to meet Sebastian's gaze; he knew he'd be in trouble if he said anything about this to anyone else.

Sebastian laughed gently as Bard left the room again. "He's jealous," he growled to you, gazing down into your eyes with something that looked like pride.

"Really? What makes you think that?"

"Who wouldn't be jealous of a man with a lady as beautiful as you in his arms?"

Even though you were a hybrid of two of the most unflappable and powerful creatures in existence, you blushed hotly and tried to bury your head in his chest so that he couldn't see. You felt his chest moving at the same time as hearing the rather gleeful laugh that came from him.

"Promise that I'll be the only one to ever see you do that..." he murmured. You liked this protective--and possessive--side of him.

"Okay..."

"No..." he growled, making you face him again. "Promise me. I want to be the only one to make you behave like this,"

You sighed and gave him your prettiest smile. He really was lovely, even against his wicked demonic nature. He was going to help you with this seemingly impossible mission, too. You adored him, and you could feel him returning the sentiment.

"I promise,"

Sebastian smiled, and pulled you back in for another warm embrace.

"Good. Now...We will restart your mission--together--very soon,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone!
> 
> So sorry for not posting a new chapter yesterday! Things got a little out of hand and I ended up not having time :( But, I hope that this one will make up for it somewhat.
> 
> \- SooperChicken


	8. On the Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian has provided you with the means, opportunity and assistance that you require to pinpoint your true target. What you do not realise, though, is just how slippery your suspects are.
> 
> But two human beings are no match for the unholy pairing that is you and your mate.

You felt like a creep, or some kind of oddity in terms of social acceptability. Lurking in the shadows, blending with the trees and bushes surrounding Oakley Manor. Your superior eyesight meant that you didn't have to get particularly close to the house in order to see through the windows. You and Sebastian had both agreed that it would be sensible to observe Earnest and Clifford Oakley to establish their daily routines before coming into closer contact with them again.

You didn't want to be caught out so soon. Or at all, for that matter.

The last of the autumn leaves around you rustled in the gentle, late night breeze. It was a cold one, bitter and foreboding, but you could easily withstand the elements. It was the people that you had to deal with on a day-to-day basis that posed a--slightly--greater challenge to you. You took it all in your stride, and right now you stood stock still among the trees biding your time. Soon enough, Sebastian would join you at your side.

"Should be any minute now," you said to nobody in particular, taking your grandfather's pocket watch out of your coat pocket and checking the time. He had given it to you when you were just a child, and it was an artefact that you had held dear ever since. You polished it every day and held it like it was crafted from spun glass.

"What was that, my love?"

You had felt Sebastian's presence seconds before he'd even spoken, proving your own instincts correct. You had known that he wouldn't be far behind you, but these kinds of missions required his completion of prior responsibilities first, namely his care of Earl Phantomhive. He couldn't afford to be caught out just because he had shirked his duties. Sebastian rested his head on your shoulder from where he stood behind you, and grinned lovingly as you turned your own to face him. You were happy to see him; in fact, the excitement awakened in you by his arrival made you feel as though you hadn't seen him in years.

"I was just saying that you shouldn't be long now," you replied, grinning at him. "And here you are,"

"Of course," he purred, nuzzling into your neck. "I would never allow you to walk so close to danger without protection,"

You snorted slightly in amusement, but you appreciated the sentiment behind his words. "I'm a big girl, now. I can look after myself," you told him. "Besides, I'm not human either,"

Sebastian could only grin wider at your display of pride and prowess. You were very impressive, and he actually pitied you your forced servitude of the Queen. You needed--and deserved--to be free. Of course, he wasn't free either but at least there would be a day when you could both escape the shackles of subservience to mortals.

"Of course you are...But I will always step in to make sure that my mate is safe," growled the powerful demon behind you. He truly had an alpha male aura, something that you were hopelessly attracted to. You leaned into him more upon hearing his words and, turning your head back towards him, kissed his cheek.

"Well, thank you for that..." you whispered, noticing out of the corner of your eye the groundskeeper walking through the garden close to the walls of Oakley Manor. "I will always do the same for you,"

"I know you will," You could hear the smile on Sebastian's lips in his words to you. You had never felt so much genuine love directed at you before as what you felt radiating from him. It was the true power of a supernatural relationship.

"Anyway, I think I may have been able to find out the Oakleys' evening routines..." you said, nodding vaguely towards the mansion across the sprawling green lawn. Another gust of wind descended from the pitch black heavens. "And Baron Oakley's office is the second floor window directly in front of us,"

"I see...My, what a good little spy you are," chuckled Sebastian, raising his head from your shoulder but keeping his arms wrapped securely around your waist. "I think Her Majesty is very lucky to have you working for her,"

You smiled to yourself, but there was a hint of bitterness there as well. You didn't want to be under the control of the Queen. You just wanted to be yourself, but because of the circumstances of your birth you had been claimed for royal service before you could even stand. One day there would come a time when you could run away and be the woman that you had always wanted to be, the girl who was locked away beneath the armour of a royal assassin--essentially. Sometimes you realised that you hated not  _who_ you were but  _what_. Apart from the people who loved you, all that people had ever done was try to exploit the power that you wielded.

Sebastian seemed to sense your sudden sadness. "What is the matter, my dear?"

Your eyes grew wide in surprise and you shook your head. "Oh, it's nothing...Just wallowing in self-pity," you chuckled darkly. 

"And why is that? Something to do with your work for the Queen?"

You chuckled again, closing your eyes slowly and gently. "You know me too well already,"

Sebastian leaned in and kissed your neck. "You have nothing to feel bad about," he growled in the lowest, gentlest of voices. "I am certain that you will regain your freedom,"

"What freedom? I never had any to begin with, and I think that as soon as Her Majesty lets me go somebody else will come forward saying that I owe them for something..."

Sebastian smiled gently, even finding himself loving your bitterness and desperation for liberty. "I suspect that you are her most valuable and powerful weapon. She will not release you without giving it serious thought, but if your servitude is prolonged then you have my word that I will set you free,"

The gravity of his words pulled them into your heart, to your core, and you settled into his arms even more. "Likewise,"

You didn't know how you knew, but you had a peculiar feeling that Sebastian's departure from Phantomhive Manor would not be a simple one. But now was not the time to think about that; you would bridge that gap when you came to it. Sebastian was able to sense your next set of thoughts, and gently rubbed your side with his fingers.

"So, do you fancy a bit of sleuthing?" he chuckled.

"Of what nature?" you giggled.

Sebastian was staring straight at the office window. "We're going to look for evidence,"

-

Now finding yourselves in the dark, quiet office, you and Sebastian both began quickly and silently rummaging around in drawers and the nearby desk for anything potentially incriminating. Either that, or you needed something to point you in the right direction. Currently there wasn't anything of interest to be found, and this frustrated you greatly. You gave a deep sigh.

"You haven't found anything either, then?" said Sebastian, looking up from the drawer he had just been rifling through. The drawer itself was actually filled to the brim with files and documents, and he'd managed to check them all already. "There isn't anything in here...Just business dealings,"

"Perhaps we'll just have to follow our instincts..." you muttered. "Who do you think is more suspicious, the father or the son?"

Sebastian stopped for a moment and looked down at the carpet, rubbing his chin in thought. "Personally, I would like to say that Clifford is much more suspicious than his father. The way he behaves, the ease of his position in the family...His father has much more to lose from doing wrong by the Queen, especially to the point of arranging his dispatch,"

You nodded and held your mate firmly in your gaze. "I agree, but first I believe that we should ask ourselves what either one could stand to gain from deviating from Her Majesty's ideals," you said. "Which is also why I am leaning towards Clifford as being the true target..."

Sebastian looked up and into your eyes, red orbs glittering with deep interest. "Go on,"

"If you ask me, Clifford is in prime position to take over as chairman of his father's company. Baron Oakley is already showing him how the company functions, and the fortune that Clifford would inherit--I would say--is motive enough to...see his father off," you said, as rationally as possible. You knew that it was only conjecture and suspicion, but it seemed like a good enough guess to you--at least while you were looking for evidence, anyway.

"You know, you may actually have a point there," said Sebastian, nodding in agreement. "Of course, we cannot prove anything yet but I would say that it is a fairly safe bet. Humans have been known to do all kinds of despicable and cunning things for money; I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised if the boy had his eye on that kind of vast inheritance. Wily and terrible as such a plot may be, though, why would Queen Victoria care about getting rid of him if this is his design?"

You grinned slowly and craftily. "Because there is no possibility of Clifford running the company as well as his father does now. And, more than that...Earnest Oakley is not partnered solely with Earl Phantomhive. His company supplies the Queen and the British Army, too,"

Sebastian seemed to be quite surprised by this revelation. "How long have you known this?" he asked.

"A little while. I've been thinking for a few days about possible motives; while I was sitting outside the house, watching it, I put the last few pieces together in order to form a theory about Clifford intending to kill for an early inheritance," you said with a sly grin. Sebastian could not help smiling back; he loved your sharp, Machiavellian mind. Seeing the way you handled yourself--regardless of whether you were on the job or not--made him wild, and he wanted you desperately but he knew that more than that he had to help you right now.

"You are a brilliant woman," he growled, eyeing you hungrily.

"Thank you," you said breezily, winking at him before turning back to the drawers. You silently closed the one that you had been leafing through before, having found nothing inside. "Now where would we find that kind of evidence? It won't do to hunt a man based purely on suspicion. These kinds of cases have to be handled delicately, and discreetly..."

You both fell silent in order to think about it for a moment. Neither of you could come up with anything straightaway, but you knew that it would come to you eventually. "Perhaps it will become clearer on its own, given a little time..." you mused, not intending to have said it out loud. You shrugged your shoulders, submitting to your need to voice your thoughts. "I know that there can't be very much time left, having said that, but there must be something that will rear its head to make us take notice..."

"I think that you may be right, darling..." purred Sebastian, falling deeper and deeper into the abyss of desire, adoring every second that he spent watching you concentrate on the task at hand. "It might just be one of those situations where the answer will walk right into our hands,"

You chuckled and looked up at him, hearing the poorly-disguised lust in his voice. "I think so too," you said, nodding your head in recognition of the fact. "Maybe we should just wait a little bit longer..."

"Yes...and in the meantime we can spend some more...quality time together," he mewled, walking over to you and pulling you into his arms. You had come in through the window which had been left ajar, and the cold wind blew through the room as Sebastian embraced you. He nuzzled your neck again and bit you gently, eliciting from you a girly giggle.

"Sebastian, we shouldn't do this here..." you whispered.

"Why not?"

"Because we might get caught...Not that I care about being seen, but we are trespassing..."

"Mmm...How exciting," growled Sebastian, sounding desperately lustful now. "I love this naughty little mind of yours...I know the kinds of scenarios that it can concoct,"

You chuckled again, more quietly this time, knowing that there was a very real possibility that you could be heard by someone walking in the corridor outside the office's closed door. "Maybe so, but we really..."

Just then, you heard a low  _*clunk*_ as the door handle began to turn. You both whirled around in surprise and made a swift beeline for the window, jumping out and running for the trees. You moved so quickly that there was no chance of either of you being spotted. Once you reached the treeline you turned on your heels and gazed back up at the office window.

There, in the room where you had just been standing, Clifford looked around in mild confusion. If you listened really carefully, you could hear what he was muttering to himself.

"I could have sworn that I closed this window before I left..." he mumbled. "And I thought that I heard voices..."

You breathed out a deep sigh of relief, realising just how close you had come to being discovered. You couldn't afford to lose the game so soon after beginning it. It was imperative that you completed this mission; if you didn't, there was a chance that the Queen would never let you go. And you couldn't be bothered to put up with Charles Grey's inevitable, merciless taunting of you if you returned empty handed; the man had a clear inferiority complex, and you loved nothing more than proving him wrong and/or putting him down when he thought that he was better than you.

It occurred to you as strange that he had not been assigned this task by Her Majesty when his family was actually rather close to Baron Oakley's. You shook your head slightly, making sure to bear that thought in mind for another time when you could ponder it more thoroughly. Sebastian wound his arm around your shoulders and pulled you in for a warm, tender kiss.

"That was close..."

"I did warn you..." you giggled.

"I will not deny that," he chuckled back, holding you close to him. "Well then, shall we return home? We can continue  _this_ there,"

You smiled and playfully rolled your eyes. "Very well then, you cheeky thing. But I will not stand for nearly getting caught again, do you understand?"

"Perfectly," said Sebastian with an equally cheeky grin. He scooped you up in his arms and began to move quickly through the trees with you. "And then, when we've tired each other out, we can do some more work on this case of yours..."

You sighed silently and smiled. It would be a few more hours, at least, before you would be able to look more into the issue at hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone!
> 
> I'm back with a new chapter for this story! I'm so sorry that it's taken so long to post something new; I've been really busy with work among other things, so it's proven quite difficult to find time to write something worthy of your time haha! Hopefully you'll find it satisfactory, and I will be doing my very best from here to get this fanfiction/request finished!
> 
> \- SooperChicken


	9. Freedom of Thought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After some more time spent pondering and poring over the possible leads on your true target, your mind turns to its own, instinctive suspicions...and they are directed at one of your own.

Was staring nonchalantly out of a window of some description the best way to promote fluidity and clarity of thought? It seemed to be for you. Long gone were the times when you could actually keep track of how many instances you'd found yourself gazing vacantly out upon the sprawling Phantomhive Estate. Its vast lawns and neatly tended flora were really very lovely, even in the late months of the year, and it was only all-too easy for you to slip away into some distant dream world.

Except, even there in your own mind you were plagued by the incessant nagging of nobody in particular to finish the mission and move on. But you could not complete your task. Yet. You had many things to think about, too much to consider to simply dive in headfirst to a conclusion that you were uncertain of, or write the entire thing off as an impossibility.

You were not one to give up so easily, nor were you one to let your thoughts overwhelm you. You would join those thoughts in a land of your own creation, and interact with them as you saw fit. Not get dragged into despair by the ideas themselves, turning to traitors at the very last moment and at the slightest sign of contentment.

There was no time for that anymore. You had to get the job done, or else you would never sleep a peaceful night again.

It was truly torturous, to not know if you were coming or going and without knowing how to _think_ about who your prey was.

You heard yourself chuckle aloud, and then in the abyss of your mind you heard your voice echo again: "On the outside, the epitome of composure. On the inside, the definition of chaos." It was slowly beginning to drive you mad.

"The more that you dwell upon it, the slower your mind will fight it..." said a gentle, knowing voice from behind you. You turned to face them, and smiled as you saw Sebastian. He made everything better. You hadn't expected to ever meet somebody like him, much less a demon like you.

"I suppose you're right about that..." you mumbled, turning back to the garden beyond the glass. You rested your chin in your hand and gave a deep sigh. It wasn't all hopeless, but you weren't exactly feeling inspired at that moment in time.

"Have you not thought of anything else that might help your cause?" Sebastian asked, sitting on the chair next to you. He moved so silently and so gracefully that oftentimes you would fail to notice that he had even moved at all.

"Nothing that I haven't rebuked myself for," you grumbled.

Sebastian chuckled, that deep, velvety noise that sent shivers through your entire being. "Cheer up, darling," he purred, reaching over to stroke your cheek. His voice remained low in pitch and you could tell immediately the kind of mood that he was in. Such a voracious and insatiable appetite... "There must be _something_ of use to you..."

You shook your head twice and shrugged your shoulders. Nothing really seemed to help unclog that blockage in your brain, that which appeared to be preventing the exchange and transmission of coherent, sensible and worthwhile thought. Only Sebastian was a calming presence for you, and assisted you in relieving the self-inflicted stress that you now found yourself wallowing in.

"Come on..." he growled, although encouragingly. He stroked your shoulder now, and ran his fingers all the way down your arm to your hand where he entwined his fingers with yours. Your body visibly relaxed, and your muscles nearly slackened in your adoration of him. "Talk to me about your ideas,"

You sighed once more before looking him in the eyes. "Well..." you began, glancing downwards for just a moment. "I did think of something, but it isn't very useful..."

Sebastian didn't say anything, but held you in a loving and expectant gaze. It was not what one would expect to behold in a demon but he was so very smitten with you. It stood to reason.

"I did think that, perhaps, Lord Oakley could actually be the culprit of whatever crime has been committed against Her Majesty..." you murmured. "...He may have underhandedly been corrupting business somehow, which would undoubtedly have irked Queen Victoria, but this is yet another theory for which there is absolutely no evidence...I can't prove anything,"

Sebastian nodded slowly in thought, and consideration of your words. "Have you considered just killing both of them and being done with it?"

You chuckled and shook your head again, so that your hair swished slightly about your face. "I did think about it, but that would put the Oakleys out of business, and that would be severely detrimental to the Queen's interests and those of the country...The man's business supplies the Army, after all..."

"It is hard to believe that this man is simply a baron..." said your mate, rolling his eyes slightly. "You would think that such an important corporation would belong to a person of higher rank. Then again, I do suppose that could be considered presumptuous indeed..."

You grinned and nodded. Nothing was as it seemed around here. Time was positively flying by, and you didn't know what to do about it. But, there was one thing you could be sure of and that was the way that people appeared to you. You knew them well, even if they were strangers, but you just could not fathom their intentions...especially those of Oakley and his son.

"Anyway, that last idea was probably one of my most preposterous to date..." you muttered crossly. You were not used to feeling so useless.

"Do not be so hard on yourself," scolded Sebastian. He didn't like it when you punished yourself like this. "Tell me about that idea that you had at the Oakley Estate, just one more time,"

You had discussed that hypothesis with Sebastian numerous times now, but never before (apart from the first time) had it appeared to you as a vision like this. It was like an epiphany, a sudden realisation, and as though you were seeing it through new eyes and processing it with a new mind.

"That Clifford is going to try to kill his father for his estate?" you said, voice barely more than a whisper. Your eyes had grown as wide as china saucers, and Sebastian could see that the cogs were spinning round in your head faster than they had in days. He smiled.

"Yes...You needed evidence for that. Do you know of anywhere that you might find something incriminating to that end?"

You thought back to that night when you'd broken into the Oakley's mansion. You remembered that strange, sneaking feeling of suspicion rising in your gut as you realised that it might have been easier for Charles Grey to investigate the Oakleys...

"I believe so..." you said quietly, almost locked in a trance. You turned to look suddenly at Sebastian. "How did you do that?"

"Do what?" he asked, wearing an expression of genuine curiosity.

"Clear my mind. I simply couldn't think before you came in..."

Sebastian could only laugh gently at your earnest belief that he had helped you somehow. "Indirectly," he whispered, leaning in and kissing the corner of your mouth, so tantalisingly close but just about satisfying for you both--for now. "There are many benefits to be had from having a life partner,"

"Thank you, Sebastian..." you whispered, stroking his hand with your fingers out of deep affection for him. "I know what I have to do..."

-

You walked straight up the long, narrow crimson carpet that ran the length of the room, from the door to Queen Victoria's perch upon her throne. You were not the kind of person to approach reverently and sycophantically; you preferred instead to treat her as a real person, which she had told you on occasion that she appreciated.

It was just as well, really. You smiled to yourself as you thought this, that you would never change.

"Your Majesty," you said in greeting, giving a short but deep enough curtsy to show her the due respect. "I have come to report my progress with the appointed mission,"

"Do go on, Lady Thurstan,"

You took a deep breath and hoped that she wouldn't confiscate your freedom for another ten years. "I have not yet managed to capture the target or eliminate them, but I believe that I am on the right path to cornering the correct one,"

"There are two?"

"Potentially, Ma'am,"

There was an eerie silence for a moment, and you momentarily feared the worst. However, the Queen simply regarded you with a level, dignified expression and nodded. "Very well then. Do what you must to see that this criminal does not get away with any further wrongdoing,"

"Yes, my Queen," you said, dipping your head to her. As you did so, you caught sight of Charles Grey standing off to the side of the room, having just entered with Charles Phipps. The small hairs on the back of your neck bristled but you resisted the urge to turn a suspicious glare on him. "Ah, Your Majesty, a question--if I may...?"

"Yes?"

"What exactly has this 'criminal' done? I assume that you are aware that it is either Baron Oakley or his son...I know that you do not like to tell me the ins and outs of the missions that I am assigned in order to keep me neutral, but...I cannot help my curiosity,"

The Queen actually smiled at your words, although you could see that it was also mainly out of her own intrigue. Finally, she graced you with an answer. "Yes, I was informed of the Oakleys' involvement in the problems that we have been experiencing. The answer is simple: We do not know if it is the father or the son either, but you must get to the root of the matter because their business dealings with the British Army have faltered. Of course, this displeases me greatly also,"

You nodded in understanding. Her response only fuelled your suspicions directed towards Grey. His family was indeed as thick as thieves with the Oakleys, and you dared say that Grey had even grown up somewhat with Clifford. You could sense an opportunity arising, and your demonic instincts were suddenly freed from their slumber after days upon days of relative abandonment.

They told you that the opportunity would be handed to you--not quite on a silver platter but good enough--by Grey himself.

"Very well. If that is all then you are dismissed. Go, and find this traitor. You will earn for yourself a very grand reward. I am certain that you will be most pleased," said the Queen.

You curtsied to her once more, before graciously taking your leave. On your way out, however, Grey caught up with you and in his usual over-confident tone of voice said, "You are seeing a lot of the Oakleys at the moment. Please deliver this to Clifford,"

"Fine," you said, taking it from his gloved fingers. He turned away from you without so much as a thank you--not that you expected or wanted one from the likes of him--and before your (E/C) eyes could meet with his stark silver ones. Grey by name and grey by nature, you always thought...

You walked away, right out of the palace, with the letter in hand. You stopped, and looked down at the letter.

It practically screamed at you to open it. You ran your own gloved finger along the seam of the envelope, and broke the seal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good evening my lovelies.
> 
> I am so, so sorry for being away for this long...Things have been rather messy just recently, and with work to contend with I simply haven't had the time or energy to post any new work...I do, however, hope that this new chapter will make up for my absence a little bit.
> 
> I hope that you are all well and that you had lovely Christmases! 
> 
> Much love,
> 
> \- SooperChicken


	10. No Grey Area

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time has come for you to finally take down your target, and there is no doubt in your mind that you have the right person.

You stared at the parchment in your hand, processing the words written there in black ink. It confirmed everything for you, and redefined your current purpose. You had known it all along, but the uncertainty had dulled your otherworldly instincts. Now they were back, and on high alert. You were ready for the final phase of the hunt.

The kill.

Moving briskly (as a demon would, rather than a human) you left Buckingham Palace in your wake with the letter in hand. It would not be delivered to its intended recipient. And that--unfortunate--human being was going to drag Charles Grey down with him. You couldn't wait.

 _"But should I go to the Phantomhives first...?"_ you thought as you started to run. The wind was cold and sharp against your face as you cut through it with speed. It made your nose and cheekbones smart painfully, but you had endured far worse in your lifetime.

You had some time to make a decision. Sebastian had helped you a considerable amount in your quest to annihilate the Queen's apparent adversary, but you weren't certain that you wanted to risk getting him into trouble with Earl Phantomhive. After all, if Sebastian did anything that detrimented Ciel's interests, it could put their contract in jeopardy.

You wouldn't be able to forgive yourself if that came to pass.

You shook the terrible thought from your head, determined that you would not place Sebastian in such a place. Of course, you would ask him first...

-

The night was far along by the time you reached the Phantomhive Estate, even after hours of running at breakneck speed. The manor was swathed almost entirely in darkness. Only you could sense a light, somewhere in the house, flickering just out of sight. But you could feel it's warmth, and the person who carried it. You went straight to him.

"Sebastian..." you whispered excitedly, throwing your arms around him in happiness. It felt like it had been too long since you'd seen him...only hours before. He nearly dropped his candlestick but hugged you all the same.

"(F/N), my love...How are you? And how did you get in?"

You smiled up at him so softly that it was clear that you were absolutely enamoured with him. You were like a couple of human lovers. Demons did not normally behave in such a smitten manner, but neither of you seemed to care.

"I have a key, remember? I do, technically, still work for the Earl," you chuckled. "But I am well, thank you. I trust that you are the same?"

"I am indeed," he whispered, gazing deeply into your eyes. "How goes the hunt?"

"I'm hot on their trail," you growled, anxious to be getting back to the mission. But you simply had to see Sebastian before you went. "I know who I'm looking for,"

Sebastian's eyes were ablaze and glittering with intrigue. "Oh yes? Who?"

"Exactly who I thought it was. It seems my little theory was spot on,"

Your mate smiled proudly at you, and you could tell what he was thinking. He said it aloud anyway. "I knew that you would come to the right conclusion in the end. For those of us with demonic instincts, that end always comes that little bit swifter," He leaned in and kissed you affectionately as he held you close.

"Thank you. Cliché though it may sound, I really couldn't have done it without you,"

Sebastian shook his head. "You would have been fine, but I'm glad I was of some help," He stopped then, and appeared to think about something for a moment. "So...Can I come with you?"

"But...won't that get you into trouble?"

"Not if we're discreet. But then again, I couldn't care less. The Young Master will just have to stomach my involvement,"

You couldn't help the smile that spread across your face. "Well then, I would be delighted for your company. I'm ready when you are,"

"For you, my dear, I am always ready,"

-

On your way to the Oakley Estate, your mind wandered several times to whether Sebastian was going to get into trouble for leaving Phantomhive Manor so late at night. You were running out of time to worry, though. The time to focus on your kill was fast approaching, and you needed your wits about you. You didn't trust Grey not to be lurking around the corner somewhere.

When you stood outside the Oakley Estate, you gazed up at the window you entered when you broke in with Sebastian before. You could almost smell Clifford, the blood in his veins pulsing underneath the skin. You smiled to yourself, this time. How delicate human flesh was; it may protect them from most things, but it would not withstand your might, your claws or your teeth.

You hadn't decided how to kill him yet. And you were going to think of something extra special for your old friend Charles Grey.

"Do you have a plan for what you're going to do from here?" Sebastian whispered to you, standing right beside you as you hid  together amid the leaves.

"Sometimes I think a mission should be concluded with what I like to call a "march-in murder"," you said with a wicked chuckle. "After so long spent longing for some kind of evidence to present itself, I'm simply ready to just end it all as quickly as possible,"

"I can understand that," Sebastian laughed quietly. "I do love this dark, slightly evil side of you. You can be a cruel mistress, both a messenger and deliverer of certain doom,"

You liked the way that sounded and you smiled at him. "Only to those who deserve it," you said mysteriously. "That being said, I think it's time to go,"

"I am content to simply sit back and watch your masterpiece come to life..." said your mate. "No pun intended,"

You grinned, amused by his statement, and gestured to him to follow you. "Right this way, sir,"

-

At this late hour, you were surprised to find that Clifford Oakley was not in bed, sleeping. Instead, you spied him through a doorway sitting at a large oak table reading a book by candlelight. Upon closer inspection, however, and from where you stood behind him, you saw that what he was reading was rather more akin to an album of sorts, where he had stored a multitude of letters.

You did not want to take the time to find out what those letters said, and crept up on the Oakley heir in total silence. Just as you were about to grab him and cover his mouth with your hand, you caught a sneaky glimpse of what he was reading. They were yet more letters from Clifford's childhood friend--Charles Grey. Their contents couldn't have been more incriminating, or more useful to your cause. Sebastian waited patiently in the doorway for you to execute your target.

Numerous letters addressed to Clifford, and most--if not all--of them mentioned something about Clifford's eventual inheritance. Just like the letter currently on your person, also addressed to the Oakley son. The letter that you had opened yourself had spoken of the 'final stage' of a plan that had apparently been devised between Oakley and Grey, to kill Earnest and forge better business relationships between Grey's own family enterprise and that of the Oakleys.

These letters on the table before you detailed every step taken along the way, every precaution and scheme, and confirmed that Grey was the one who had put the idea in Clifford's head. But it now occurred to you that it was not your place to exact punishment upon Charles Grey. That was for Her Majesty to decide. How had she not seen his devious plot? How had she not noticed his curious and frequent sending of letters to the Oakley Estate in the midst of all this sleuthing and suspicion?

Grey was either very sneaky, or the Queen was not very perceptive. Nor were her guards. It was an alarming prospect.

Your arms snaked out and coiled themselves around Clifford's body, one around his face and the other around his torso, binding his arms to his sides. He let out a muffled shriek, but soon came to terms with what was happening. He had been caught, as he had always had an inkling he would.

You slowly released his head from your constrictor-like grip and allowed him to speak.

"Who are you? Someone sent by Grey? I knew I wouldn't be able to trust him fully..."

"If you didn't trust him then why did you go along with his ideas? To kill your own father,"

"Well when you put it like that it certainly does sound terrible but you don't understand. He is running the family business into the ground. My grandfather would be mortified if he could see it now..."

"Is that you talking or is that Grey?" you sniffed, knowing how manipulative the man could be. And how gullible and impressionable Clifford obviously was. You could see right through him now that your mind was clear and your eyes were sharp.

Clifford was silent for a moment before seemingly recognising your voice. "It's you..." he whispered. He didn't appear to remember your name, though. "The Phantomhive maid..."

"Well, you're partly right. That was a disguise and a decoy. You almost found me out for who I really am. Anyway, that isn't important. Your plot to kill your father would have ruined the business; it caught the attention of Her Majesty, whom your father also serves,"

The Oakley son trembled against you, your strong arms still holding him fast. He would not be fleeing anywhere. He wouldn't even be reaching for the dagger that you had only just noticed sitting on the table just beside the now discarded album of letters. "Please..."

You steeled yourself to his plea, now that he knew how much trouble he was in because the Queen knew of his actions. Or planned actions...Either way, even though you were a demon and normally immune to...all things, you found that you could not often act against a person who was begging for mercy.

"Please what? You were going to commit murder, against your father, and put the country in jeopardy by weakening a business that not only serves the Queen but also supplies the Army. Do you realise how grave your actions have been? Your 'friend' has plunged you into this pit of darkness, and there is no escape. Her Majesty's will shall be done,"

Clifford did not say a word after listening to you, and resigned himself to his fate. "Well then, may I make one last request?"

"Go on,"

"A drowning man will grab whatever he can before he sinks; make sure Grey goes down with me. And don't lie to my father. Tell him what we did and what happended to us,"

It seemed like a reasonable request, and one which resounded with your own interests anyway. You could understand, somewhat, that because of how impressionable Clifford really was it would have been easy for him to fall for Grey's guile and go along with whatever brazen schemes he might have proposed to him. You felt the slightest degree of sympathy, but you still had a job to do.

"Very well. I'll make sure it's done,"

"Thank you," said the man, relaxing a little against you. He seemed to have made his peace already. It put you slightly more at ease as well.

It was not the 'march-in murder' that you had told Sebastian to expect, but you made a spur-of-the-moment decision to make Clifford's death as painless as possible. In fact, you had the power within you to make sure that he never even knew he had died.

-

"Where are we going now?" said Sebastian, quickening his pace in order to keep up with you.

"I'm going back to Buckingham Palace. You are welcome to join me, or return to your Master," you said. You didn't really want him to leave, but you were acutely aware of the fact that he had other commitments. You still didn't want him to get into trouble, after all.

"I'm staying with you," said Sebastian with a smile. "Besides, I want to know what happened back there,"

You could hear in his voice that he was not displeased with you performance, but you at least wanted him to know that you weren't weak for doing what you had. "I know I made it sound as though I would be brutal--savage, even--in there but I decided against it,"

"Why?"

"I just did. I hope you weren't too disappointed,"

Sebastian stopped you from walking for a moment by pulling you into his arms. "You could never disappoint me," he murmured. "I was just impressed with your silent, painless kill. Few demons are capable of refraining from bloody, noisy kills,"

You smiled up at him before nuzzling into his chest. "Thank you. At least you don't think I'm weak,"

"Of course I don't. You wouldn't have been able to cope with _me_ , otherwise," he said, pulling away for a moment to wink at you. You sighed and chuckled, knowing exactly what he was implying.

"I see your point," you said, making sure to flirt back. You both turned back to your previous path and continued on to London.

-

With Queen Victoria sitting at the desk before you, you handed over the album full of letters that you had managed to recover from Oakley Manor. You also presented her with the last of Grey's letters to Clifford. She took a moment to look them over, analysing them closely as she went. Finally, she looked up at you and nodded.

"Phipps, please send for Grey. He should still be in the palace,"

"Yes, Ma'am,"

You stood still while Phipps went to fetch Grey, and felt all of your nerves tingle excitedly and with great anticipation of what was going to happen. When the Queen's personal bodyguards returned, the doors slammed behind them and the Queen beckoned for them to come closer. Grey spotted you immediately and smirked as he walked past, but you were going to be the one to have the last laugh. He hadn't worked out what was going on yet.

"Do these look familiar to you, Grey?" she said sternly. You could tell that it was only going to get worse for him, and this pleased you immensely.

Grey stepped forwards to examine the letters on the table, and his expression dropped completely. His complexion became as grey as his name, almost matching his silvery hair and eyes. Suddenly, he rounded on you and drew his sword, eyes ablaze with anger.

"How _dare_ you?!" he bellowed, unable to believe that he had been ratted out. "You'll pay for this!"

You rolled your eyes and stepped backwards as he swung the sword at you, left and right, each time unable to land a blow on you. You were too fast and agile, and he was too incensed to pay attention to what he was doing. Just then, Phipps stepped between the two of you and fought him back, forcing him into submission and also to be calm enough to comprehend the situation.

"No, Grey...It is you who will pay," said the Queen ominously. "Lady Thurstan, you are free to go. I hereby release you from service,"

You were shocked, and more than just a little bit lost for words as you tried to process what was being said to you. You were finally free. All you could do was bow to her and thank her, before leaving that room for the last time as a servant.

Outside, you grabbed Sebastian by the arm and ran. You didn't look back.

_*Six months later*_

You sat at the table reading the same letter from months before, over and over again. You smiled every time you studied those words. Grey had been discharged from service to the Queen, disgraced and disowned by his family and was currently still being hunted by assassins in the employ of the kingdom. It suited him well; his arrogance and brashness was finally being repaid with the torture of being hounded like an animal.

One day Clifford Oakley might get his request you often thought.

You placed the letter down atop the table just as Sebastian wrapped his arms around you from behind. He kissed your cheek first, before working his way down to the soft flesh of your neck. You moaned gently as he tenderly manipulated the skin with his equally soft, warm lips. You were free to be with him, even if he was still contractually obligated to serve Ciel Phantomhive. They would often visit you at Thurstan Manor, though. And those times were full of passion and happiness, regardless of the demonic nature of certain individuals.

"Beautiful as always," he growled, nudging you with his nose so that you knew what he was after. You giggled and leaned backwards into him.

"Give over," you chuckled. "Anyway, we might get into trouble. I do still have parents to be aware of,"

"They're in the garden with the Young Master," he said, voice no more than a low rumble of desire. "What if I said 'please'?"

"Ooh..." you said with a sigh, making it sound as though he'd really given you a dilemma. "I'm powerless to resist a man of good manners and a chivalrous nature,"

Sebastian laughed and scooped you up in his arms, bridal style. "You are going to love me, then,"

You adored the way that he'd spoken to you then, as though you were just meeting for the first time. He never ceased to amaze you, and apparently you could always keep him guessing as well. He moved swiftly through the great house with you, heading towards your bedroom.

"I will always love you," you giggled as he set you down on the bed.

"Likewise..." he murmured, lavishing kisses upon your body. You trembled and quaked with heated anticipation as he began to run his hand up your leg, raising the skirts of your pretty day dress.

You had some time to yourselves, to enjoy each other's company in peace. You would always look forward to times like these, and now there was an eternity to enjoy them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year!
> 
> I think that this might be the last chapter of this work! Thank you so much for reading, and for your patience in waiting for me to finish it. I hope you all have a fabulous 2017!
> 
> \- SooperChicken


End file.
